


A New Beginning

by blk0912



Category: Glee
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-08
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-08 01:09:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 79
Words: 334,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1126586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blk0912/pseuds/blk0912
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A different version of the way Rachel and Jesse met and fell in love. Begins the summer before Rachel's sophomore year of high school/the beginning of Glee. [Also posted on fanfiction.net]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my attempt at an AU version of how Rachel and Jesse met and fell in love. I'm not sure how long it'll be, or exactly how it'll go as I don't have the whole thing written yet (unlike my other stories). I hope you all like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee :( Nor do I own any of the songs I decide to use throughout the story.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rachel was sitting on the couch at her mother's house, where she'd be staying for the summer, telling her mother how much she hated McKinley, when she was interrupted.

"What about transferring to Carmel? You could live here with me. Your Dad is traveling more now, it could be good," Shelby suggested.

"I've thought about it, but I don't want to make him or Daddy upset," Rachel answered.

"I could talk to them about it when they call tomorrow."

"About transferring to Carmel?"

"Yes. You'd be a perfect fit for Vocal Adrenaline. I'll introduce you to Jesse, he's the male lead. He's a lot like you, actually."

"Will he like me?"

Shelby smiled and then said the words she had no idea one day would actually be true.

"He'll love you."

Rachel nodded, a slight smile on her face, as she thought about a future at Carmel, where her talent would be nurtured instead of mocked.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
The next day, while her mom was on the phone with her dads, Rachel decided to look around. She'd only been here once before, shortly after her mother had gotten the house. Now that it had been decorated and some of the rooms renovated, it felt and looked like an entirely new place. The room that caught her attention first was the music room.

When she first walked in, the first thing she noticed was the grand piano sitting in the middle of the room. There was also a guitar in the corner, an entire bookshelf filled with sheet music, and pictures on the wall: some of various famous musicians and some of Vocal Adrenaline. Wandering over to the picture closest to her, Rachel read the caption underneath it: Regionals 2009. Looking closer at the picture, she recognized her mother, of course, but the others were total strangers. She saw a tall boy with dark brown, curly hair and piercing blue eyes-brought out even more by the royal blue of his shirt. He was standing next to her mother with a bright grin on his face. She wondered if that was Jesse. It would make sense, she decided, since he was pretty much front and center.

"I was wondering where you wandered off to," Shelby remarked as she walked into the room.

Rachel turned around at the sound of her mother's voice and asked the question that she most wanted to know the answer to.

"What did my dads say?"

"They said that they had actually been considering talking to me about the same thing. We all agreed that if you are determined to pursue a career in the arts, then Carmel is the best school for you," Shelby answered with a smile.

"They're keeping the house in Lima, right?" Rachel asked.

As much as she already loved her mother's house, the house in Lima was her childhood home. It held so many memories that simply weren't able to be packed in a box.

"Yes," Shelby assured her, "They understand the sentimental value of that house-not only to you, but to them as well."

"Good," Rachel said with a nod of her head.

"I was thinking we could go shopping after lunch," Shelby said, changing the subject.

"Shopping for what?" Rachel asked, confused.

"Things for your bedroom here. You can pick any of the guest bedrooms as your own and decorate it however you like," Shelby clarified.

Rachel smiled at her.

"I'd like that."

Shelby returned her daughter's smile and then walked over to the piano in the middle of the room.

"Want to sing something?" she asked.

"Sure, but I have a question first," Rachel answered.

"Okay. Shoot."

"Which one is Jesse?"

Shelby got up from her seat at the piano and then walked over to the picture in question, pointing to the boy standing next to her.

"Him."

"That's who I would have guessed."

"Good guess. He's supposed to stop by tomorrow to get some music he wants to work on over the summer."

"What's he like?" Rachel asked, unsure at the time what it was about a boy she didn't even know that made her want to know everything about him.

"You're just full of questions today. What's with all the questions about Jesse?" Shelby asked with a laugh, though she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

"I just have this feeling that he's someone I'm supposed to meet, and who will play an important role in my life," Rachel answered almost cryptically.

"Well, like I told you yesterday, he's a lot like you. He's very ambitious, very aware of what he wants in life and what it's going to take to accomplish that. He's very talented, and the girls seem to like his curly hair."

"He is cute," Rachel admitted, glancing at the picture once more, "I think he and I will get along just fine."

"I was hoping so, since you'll be co-leads. Now, let's sing something, shall we? I hate to have such a great room and not put it to good use," Shelby said as she made her way back to the piano.

Rachel grinned and nodded before taking a seat next to her mother at the piano.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next day, Rachel was in the music room looking at all of the musicals on DVD, trying to decide on which one to watch, when she was interrupted by a voice behind her.

"I'd go with Phantom of the Opera if I were you."

Rachel whirled to see who the owner of the voice was and found herself face to face with Jesse.

"You must be Jesse. My mom said you'd be stopping by today," She said, quickly recovering from her surprise.

"That's right. You must be Rachel, then. Shelby said to meet her in here; she was on the phone when I arrived."

"Why Phantom of the Opera?" Rachel asked curiously.

Jesse shrugged.

"You just strike me as someone who could appreciate the drama of it all."

Rachel eyed Jesse curiously for a moment before she spoke again.

"Thanks. I think. Phantom is great, but it's not my favorite."

"What's your favorite, then?" He asked, genuinely intrigued by the tiny brunette in front of him.

"Funny Girl. It's my mom's favorite, too."

Both teens were so involved in their discussion that they didn't notice Shelby watching them from the doorway with a smile on her face. She couldn't have planned Rachel and Jesse's first meeting any better if she tried. She had sent Jesse to the music room out of habit, not realizing that Rachel was already awake and was in the process of picking out a musical to watch. Deciding to leave them be, and not wanting to interrupt their discussion, Shelby walked back towards the kitchen to finish with breakfast.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Later that night, after Jesse had left, Shelby sat down with Rachel to eat dinner and began to ask her about her day.

"So what did you and Jesse talk about for so long? Every time I came in to get something, you two were deep in conversation."

"Pretty much all things music: musicals, show choir, that type of thing. He's pretty much the male version of me. It was nice to be able to find someone I could truly be me around who wasn't family."

"I'm glad you two are getting along so well," Shelby said with a smile.

"I invited him back over tomorrow. We're going to have a musical movie marathon," Rachel told her excitedly.

"What time is this all starting at?" Shelby inquired.

"Well, he said something about Vocal Adrenaline practice in the morning, so I think like 3 or 4."

"You're welcome to come along to practice tomorrow. See what you're getting yourself into."

"Maybe. I wanted to get all the movies and everything ready before he gets here."

"Well, just let me know," Shelby said before she and Rachel began to finish their dinner.

A short while later, they were both startled by the sound of Rachel's text message tone. Rachel looked between the phone and her mother, wanting to see who had sent her the message but not wanting to offend her mother by checking her phone in the middle of dinner.

"Go ahead and check it," Shelby said with a smile and a laugh.

Rachel got up and grabbed her phone, smiling when she saw who the sender was.

"It's from Jesse," she clarified, noticing the curious look on her mother's face.

"Oh?" Shelby asked, unsure what else to say.

"He wants to know if I'm picking out all of the movies for tomorrow or if he gets to pick one or two."

As Rachel was texting Jesse back that yes, he could pick out a couple of the movies, Shelby observed her daughter with a smile. Even though they had just met, she had no doubt that Rachel and Jesse would only grow closer, and judging from Rachel's smile, possibly more than just friends. She'd known Jesse for years before he became her student and she couldn't remember him being so interested in someone before. Being the male lead of Vocal Adrenaline only added to Jesse's good looks and charm-the girls usually pursued him, not the other way around. Shelby was pulled out of her thoughts by Rachel's voice.

"I want to go with you tomorrow."

"Go with me where?" Shelby asked, still a little lost in her thoughts.

"To Vocal Adrenaline's practice," Rachel clarified.

"What changed your mind?"

"I know my dads will be calling tomorrow, and I want to be 100% sure that transferring and joining Vocal Adrenaline is what I want to do. If I'm not, my dads will see right through it."

Shelby nodded in agreement.

"All right. Practice starts at 8 so we need to leave here by 7:30."

"Jesse said he could pick me up, if you wanted to go in earlier."

Even though Shelby liked Jesse, and knew he'd be a perfect match for her daughter, she also knew that he had a reputation with girls that Rachel was as of yet unaware of. As much as she didn't want to crush, or stand in the way of, her daughter's happiness, she felt that Rachel deserved to know the information.

"Rachel, you need to be careful with Jesse," Shelby finally said with a sigh.

"I thought you liked him," Rachel said, confused.

"I do, but I've also known him for many years. He isn't known for getting attached to anyone or anything. You two just met, it's a bit sudden for you to start planning dates, don't you think?"

"It's not a date."

"But you want it to be."

Rachel opened her mouth to deny what her mother had just said, but then closed it when she realized that she had indeed hoped it would be a date. Knowing she could tell her mother anything, Rachel opted for the truth.

"I know it sounds completely irrational for me to like him as much as I admit I do when I've only known him for a few hours. I don't know how to explain it, other than I just have this feeling that he and I are supposed to just…connect the way that we do."

Shelby smiled a little before she responded.

"I understand. I just wanted you to be…aware of what you're getting yourself into. Jesse is very…complex. He doesn't let just anyone in. The fact that he seems genuinely excited about spending the evening with you tomorrow is a very good thing."

"So if he does decide to let you in…how do you know?"

"I wish I could answer that for you. If I had to guess, though, I'd say that he'll start to reveal things about himself he normally wouldn't tell people."

"Like what?" Rachel inquired curiously.

"Like something about his childhood that not many people know. I can't tell you what that is, because it may be something even I don't know, but I can tell you that his childhood isn't something Jesse likes to talk about."

Rachel nodded and then got up to put her dishes in the sink. Shelby followed suit, sort of changing the subject of their conversation.

"I do have some work to do after practice, so you can either hang around with me or Jesse can give you a ride back here afterwards."

Rachel smiled a little and then picked up her phone once more and walked out of the room, continuing to text Jesse.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
The next morning, Shelby was only slightly surprised to see Rachel all ready to go when she walked into the kitchen.

"I made omelettes. They're vegan omelettes, but still," Rachel said upon seeing her mother.

"Where did you learn to make omelettes?" Shelby wondered.

"Daddy taught me last summer. I had to practically beg Dad to let me learn, but Daddy was all for it."

"I know you miss your dads, but I hope you can be happy here too."

"I am," Rachel assured her mother as she sat down at the table across from her, "I do miss my dads, but I know they're having a good time. Daddy joked that it was their turn to go off and travel."

"That sounds like something Hiram would say," Shelby said with a smile.

"I'm going to fit in with Vocal Adrenaline, right?"

"Well that was a sudden change in subject," Shelby said with a laugh, "To answer the question, though, I think you'll fit in just fine. You have a great ally in Jesse-if he likes you, it's pretty much guaranteed that most of the team will too."

"Most?"

"Well, except the girls whose solos you will be stealing."

"I'm used to that," Rachel admitted with a shrug.

"Everything will be fine, I promise," Shelby assured her daughter as she reached across the table to pat her hand.

Rachel smiled a little hesitantly as she nodded. Before either she or her mother could say anything else, they heard her cell phone begin to ring. A quick glance at the caller ID told her that it was her dad calling.

"Hi, Dad," Rachel answered excitedly.

"Hi, honey. You're up early," Leroy responded with a smile in his voice.

"I'm going to Vocal Adrenaline's practice with Mom."

"You're positive that transferring is what you want to do, then?"

"It is. Carmel has a great fine arts program, which could help with college in the future. Mom said I could tag along and see what it's like before I make my decision final."

"As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

"How's your trip?" Rachel asked, changing the subject.

"We haven't had much of a chance to do much since I've been in meetings most of the time we've been here. Your Daddy found something we think you'll like, but he says you'll just have to wait and see what it is."

"That's not fair," Rachel mock complained.

Leroy chuckled.

"It's part of the surprise, my darling daughter."

Seeing Shelby signal that they needed to go, Rachel reluctantly attempted to end the conversation with her father.

"Will you call me later? We need to get going."

"Why don't you give your Daddy a call when you get home and we'll talk more then."

"Sure. I'll call you before Jesse and I start our musical movie marathon."

"Is Jesse a boy or a girl?" Leroy asked, unsure he even wanted to know the answer.

"He's a boy from Mom's show choir," Rachel answered.

"You'll have to tell us how you met."

"I will. Tell Daddy I love him and I said hi. Love you, Dad."

"We love you, too, Rachel."

After hanging up with her Dad, Rachel followed her Mom out to her car.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Once they arrived at Carmel's auditorium, Rachel settled on sitting at the table with her mother-this way she could both observe and ask questions. They were a couple of hours into practice when Rachel noticed that Jesse seemed annoyed with the girl she guessed was the current female lead. A glance at her mother told her that Shelby was aware of this as well.

"Stop, stop, stop," Shelby practically shouted into the microphone on her desk.

Once she had her team's attention, Shelby walked towards the stage as she spoke.

"I want someone else to take the lead."

"But Shelby…" Sasha, the girl currently standing next to Jesse, started.

"No one else wants to do it," Jesse continued.

Shelby sighed and then told them to take a ten minute break.

"Isn't this a Lionel Richie song?" Rachel asked, peering at the sheet music on her mother's desk.

"It is," Jesse answered from the seat he had just taken beside Rachel.

Rachel turned to Jesse and hit him on the shoulder.

"Hey! What was that for?" Jesse asked, rubbing the spot where Rachel had hit him.

"Oh, I didn't hit you that hard," Rachel said with a laugh, "I hit you because you snuck up on me and scared me."

"Sorry?" Jesse offered with a shrug.

"Better be."

Jesse grinned at her before he held out his hand.

"Sing with me."

Rachel placed her hand in Jesse's and felt what could only be described as a jolt. Afraid that Jesse hadn't felt it too, and unsure of what exactly it meant, Rachel avoided his eyes and simply followed him to the stage.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: First of all, thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and/or added this story to their story alerts. I had part of this written before I published the first chapter, but it seemed to fit better as another chapter than as part of the previous one. I hope you all like this chapter just as much as the first one :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee :( or the song _Hello_  by Lionel Ritchie.**

* * *

As they sat on the piano bench together, Rachel was nearly overwhelmed by the feeling that this was where she was meant to be: on stage, next to Jesse, singing with him. She was broken out of her thoughts by Jesse playing the opening notes to what would soon become  _their_  song. When he began to sing, Rachel couldn't help but smile.

**I've been alone with you inside my mind**

**And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times**

**I sometimes see you pass outside my door**

**Hello, is it me you're looking for?**

Jesse smiled back at her as she joined her voice with his for the next few lines.

_**I can see it in your eyes** _

_**I can see it in your smile** _

_**You're all I've ever wanted** _

_**And my arms are open wide** _

_**Cause you know just what to say** _

_**And you know just what to do** _

_**And I want to tell you so much** _

_**I love you…** _

As they finished the song, Jesse noticed that the rest of the team had wandered back in and were now clapping. Rachel looked at the faces of her new teammates before she looked back to Jesse, who was smiling at her.

"See? They like you," he told her.

Rachel smiled back and nodded as she saw her mother make her way to the stage.

"Is she going to be part of Vocal Adrenaline now?" Sasha asked.

"Yes," Shelby answered as she approached Rachel and Jesse, "Everyone, this is my daughter, and your new female lead, Rachel Berry."

Everyone was silent as they observed Rachel and took in the news. The first one to approach them was a girl Rachel didn't remember seeing before. She had shoulder-length auburn hair, bright green eyes, and appeared to be slightly taller than Rachel herself.

"Welcome to Vocal Adrenaline," She said with a smile.

"Thank you," Rachel said, returning the smile.

"Okay, everyone, let's get back to work. Rachel, Jesse, as lovely as that sounded, I think we're going to go with a more upbeat song for our third Sectionals number. Since we've already got the other two picked out, I want to work on those for now while I try to come up with another number," Shelby told them, getting her team's attention once more.

* * *

After her first Vocal Adrenaline practice, Rachel was happy to say that she'd loved every minute of it. Getting to sing with Jesse some more was a dream, and getting her new teammates' approval just added to her happiness. She was still smiling when Jesse approached her once he'd grabbed his things.

"Do you always smile this much?" He teased.

"I'm  _excited_ ," Rachel answered, giving him a playful push, "To have my talent nurtured, and to have my teammates actually  _like_  me is incredible."

"Your old team didn't?"

Rachel shook her head as she followed Jesse towards the door.

"Nope. We weren't really much of a team to be honest. We were what I think they call a  _stool choir_. We sat and sang. No choreography except a little swaying back and forth, maybe a little thing or two with the stools. I lost count of all the times I came home absolutely  _livid_  because Mr. Ryerson gave  _my_  solos to the talentless  _Hank Saunders_. I'm sure one of my dads could tell you, though."

Jesse chuckled.

"Good thing we rescued you then."

"You have  _no idea_  how happy I am that my mom offered to let me live with her so I could go to school here."

Jesse smiled and nodded before he stopped in front of a black SUV not far from the school building.

"Do we need to stop anywhere before we start our musical marathon?" He asked as they got into the vehicle.

"No, I've got everything set up," Rachel answered, watching as Jesse made his way out of the parking lot and onto the road.

* * *

When Shelby returned home, the first thing she heard was singing. Rachel had always loved to sing along to musicals, especially the ones she loved. Judging from the fact that she heard Jesse's voice as well, she knew Rachel had convinced him to do the same. She smiled at the fact that Rachel had already begun to make friends. She'd always have Jesse, of course, and she'd always be closest to him, but it was good for her to finally have some more real friends.

"Did you watch  _Les Misérables_ already?" Shelby asked as she walked into the living room.

Rachel grabbed the remote from Jesse and paused the movie before she answered her mother, "That's next. This one was Jesse's choice."

"I'm glad you're letting him choose a couple," Shelby said, clearly amused.

"Me, too," Jesse muttered from his spot on the couch next to Rachel.

"I heard that. Jerk," Rachel said with a laugh before she pushed at Jesse's shoulder.

Shelby rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Don't have too much fun and don't stay up too late. We have practice in the morning."

"Yes, Mom," Rachel said before Jesse took the remote back and un-paused the movie.

Shelby shook her head and smiled as she walked upstairs to her room to call Rachel's fathers.

* * *

Leroy and Hiram were sitting in their hotel room, trying to find the first available date that they could see Rachel. Leroy had a few more meetings in the next few days, but they wanted to get home as soon as they could. They wanted to see for themselves that Rachel was at least okay. The ringing of Leroy's phone interrupted their discussion.

"Shelby," Leroy greeted, glancing at the caller ID as he picked up the phone.

"Hello, Leroy. Did Rachel call you?"

"We talked to her briefly. She said something about a musical marathon with one of her team members."

"She joined the practice today. She was amazing."

"She's always amazing, it's just that not everyone always recognizes or appreciates her talent," Leroy corrected.

"That's true. As I was saying, she truly was amazing. Jesse convinced her to sing with him and it was the best I've heard either of them sound. The entire team took to her immediately. I think she'll be good friends with quite a few of them, and more than just friends with one of them in particular."

"She's too young to date," Leroy insisted.

"She's almost 16, Leroy. She's already driving. Besides, she and Jesse would make one very talented couple," Shelby pointed out.

"I want to meet this Jesse kid."

"You can meet Jesse, and the rest of the team, when you visit Rachel."

"We know nothing about him," Leroy said, concern evident in his voice.

"I've known Jesse for a long time. He's a good kid. He and Rachel hit it off right away. I'm pretty sure they went from total strangers to best friends in just the last couple of days. She insists they have a connection, and I think Jesse feels it too, but they haven't shown any signs of moving past the best friend stage…at least for now. Once they do, that's going to be it for them. There will never be another person who understands Rachel the way Jesse probably already does."

"I have to admit, that's something we've always wanted for Rachel. We never thought she'd find it this young, though."

"I didn't think so either, but as Rachel likes to say, it's just  _supposed_  to happen."

Leroy sighed.

"Hiram and I still would like to see her interact with these people. We need to see for ourselves that they truly accept Rachel. You understand."

"I do. Once you have a date set in stone, let me know so I can get everything arranged. I know Rachel's going to want you here with her, so I'll make up the guest bedroom for you and Hiram. Don't bother booking a hotel."

"You read my mind, Shelby."

"It's a talent," Shelby said with a laugh, "Do you have an idea of when you'll be back?"

"By Friday afternoon I think. I'll let you know tomorrow when I'll know whether or not we need to extend our trip."

"Sounds good. Goodnight, Leroy. Please tell Hiram I said hello."

"I will. Goodnight, Shelby."

Leroy hung up with Shelby and then turned to his partner.

"Rachel's in love."

"Already?" Hiram asked.

"Shelby insists it isn't there yet, but she feels a connection with this Jesse kid. She's only 15, Hiram."

"I know, but Rachel's always been wise beyond her years, far more mature than most girls her age. Shelby wouldn't let Jesse anywhere near Rachel if she thought he posed any sort of threat to her, so there's that, too."

Leroy sighed.

"I hate it when you're right. Why can't you just let me over-react like a normal father?"

Hiram laughed, leaning over to pat his husband's shoulder as he spoke.

"Because we are the Berrys. We don't do  _anything_  normally."

"That's true."

* * *

As the credits of  _Les Misérables_ played across the screen, Jesse reluctantly started to get up.

"You're leaving already?" Rachel asked.

"We have practice in the morning, Rach. It's almost 11, and practice starts at 9 tomorrow morning."

Rachel glanced at the clock and sighed dramatically.

"If it makes you feel better, you can borrow the musicals I brought over for a couple of days," Jesse offered.

"We only got to watch one of them."

"I know, but we'll watch the rest next week."

Rachel tilted her head slightly to the side as she studied the boy in front of her, trying to figure out if he was joking or not.

"I'm serious," Jesse said, as if reading her mind, "I had a lot of fun tonight. If we didn't have practice in the morning, I'd be all for another musical."

"Same day next week?" Rachel asked.

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow. 'Night, Rach."

"'Night, Jesse," Rachel returned, watching Jesse walk away.

* * *

Just as she was about to turn off her light and go to bed, Rachel heard a knock at her door. Figuring that it was just her mother coming to say goodnight, she opened the door quickly.

"I know you want to get your sleep, but I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes," Shelby said.

Rachel nodded and walked away from the door, her mother following close behind her. They took seats across from each other on Rachel's bed.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Shelby asked.

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"I did. Jesse's great."

"Do you still feel that connection with him?"

"Yes. I don't know what's going to happen, but I do know that I won't resist fate. Maybe Jesse and I are true love, maybe we're not."

Shelby ran a hand over her daughter's hair before she made her question known.

"Aren't you a little young to be thinking about true love?"

"I wasn't even thinking about it until I met Jesse. I know he's supposed to be in my life, I just don't know how exactly yet. I have fun with him and I enjoy singing with him. I also know he's going away to college next year, so there's that to think about."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. I'm going to surprise everyone and reward them for their hard work by ending rehearsal a little early tomorrow. At least, that's the plan. I was thinking maybe we could go get you any school supplies you need and maybe a few outfits as well."

"I'd like that," Rachel said with a smile.

"I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."

"'Night, Mom," Rachel responded, watching her mother walk out the room, closing the door behind her.

Rachel couldn't help but smile as she turned off her lamp and got into bed. She was looking forward to seeing her new friends and then being able to spend some more quality time with her mother. Her dads would be here in a few days if everything went as planned. She was still smiling as she closed her eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: First of all, thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and/or added this story to their story alerts. I had part of this written before I published the first chapter, but it seemed to fit better as another chapter than as part of the previous one. I hope you all like this chapter just as much as the first one :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee :( or the song _Hello_  by Lionel Ritchie.**

* * *

As they sat on the piano bench together, Rachel was nearly overwhelmed by the feeling that this was where she was meant to be: on stage, next to Jesse, singing with him. She was broken out of her thoughts by Jesse playing the opening notes to what would soon become  _their_  song. When he began to sing, Rachel couldn't help but smile.

**I've been alone with you inside my mind**

**And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times**

**I sometimes see you pass outside my door**

**Hello, is it me you're looking for?**

Jesse smiled back at her as she joined her voice with his for the next few lines.

_**I can see it in your eyes** _

_**I can see it in your smile** _

_**You're all I've ever wanted** _

_**And my arms are open wide** _

_**Cause you know just what to say** _

_**And you know just what to do** _

_**And I want to tell you so much** _

_**I love you…** _

As they finished the song, Jesse noticed that the rest of the team had wandered back in and were now clapping. Rachel looked at the faces of her new teammates before she looked back to Jesse, who was smiling at her.

"See? They like you," he told her.

Rachel smiled back and nodded as she saw her mother make her way to the stage.

"Is she going to be part of Vocal Adrenaline now?" Sasha asked.

"Yes," Shelby answered as she approached Rachel and Jesse, "Everyone, this is my daughter, and your new female lead, Rachel Berry."

Everyone was silent as they observed Rachel and took in the news. The first one to approach them was a girl Rachel didn't remember seeing before. She had shoulder-length auburn hair, bright green eyes, and appeared to be slightly taller than Rachel herself.

"Welcome to Vocal Adrenaline," She said with a smile.

"Thank you," Rachel said, returning the smile.

"Okay, everyone, let's get back to work. Rachel, Jesse, as lovely as that sounded, I think we're going to go with a more upbeat song for our third Sectionals number. Since we've already got the other two picked out, I want to work on those for now while I try to come up with another number," Shelby told them, getting her team's attention once more.

* * *

After her first Vocal Adrenaline practice, Rachel was happy to say that she'd loved every minute of it. Getting to sing with Jesse some more was a dream, and getting her new teammates' approval just added to her happiness. She was still smiling when Jesse approached her once he'd grabbed his things.

"Do you always smile this much?" He teased.

"I'm  _excited_ ," Rachel answered, giving him a playful push, "To have my talent nurtured, and to have my teammates actually  _like_  me is incredible."

"Your old team didn't?"

Rachel shook her head as she followed Jesse towards the door.

"Nope. We weren't really much of a team to be honest. We were what I think they call a  _stool choir_. We sat and sang. No choreography except a little swaying back and forth, maybe a little thing or two with the stools. I lost count of all the times I came home absolutely  _livid_  because Mr. Ryerson gave  _my_  solos to the talentless  _Hank Saunders_. I'm sure one of my dads could tell you, though."

Jesse chuckled.

"Good thing we rescued you then."

"You have  _no idea_  how happy I am that my mom offered to let me live with her so I could go to school here."

Jesse smiled and nodded before he stopped in front of a black SUV not far from the school building.

"Do we need to stop anywhere before we start our musical marathon?" He asked as they got into the vehicle.

"No, I've got everything set up," Rachel answered, watching as Jesse made his way out of the parking lot and onto the road.

* * *

When Shelby returned home, the first thing she heard was singing. Rachel had always loved to sing along to musicals, especially the ones she loved. Judging from the fact that she heard Jesse's voice as well, she knew Rachel had convinced him to do the same. She smiled at the fact that Rachel had already begun to make friends. She'd always have Jesse, of course, and she'd always be closest to him, but it was good for her to finally have some more real friends.

"Did you watch  _Les Misérables_ already?" Shelby asked as she walked into the living room.

Rachel grabbed the remote from Jesse and paused the movie before she answered her mother, "That's next. This one was Jesse's choice."

"I'm glad you're letting him choose a couple," Shelby said, clearly amused.

"Me, too," Jesse muttered from his spot on the couch next to Rachel.

"I heard that. Jerk," Rachel said with a laugh before she pushed at Jesse's shoulder.

Shelby rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Don't have too much fun and don't stay up too late. We have practice in the morning."

"Yes, Mom," Rachel said before Jesse took the remote back and un-paused the movie.

Shelby shook her head and smiled as she walked upstairs to her room to call Rachel's fathers.

* * *

Leroy and Hiram were sitting in their hotel room, trying to find the first available date that they could see Rachel. Leroy had a few more meetings in the next few days, but they wanted to get home as soon as they could. They wanted to see for themselves that Rachel was at least okay. The ringing of Leroy's phone interrupted their discussion.

"Shelby," Leroy greeted, glancing at the caller ID as he picked up the phone.

"Hello, Leroy. Did Rachel call you?"

"We talked to her briefly. She said something about a musical marathon with one of her team members."

"She joined the practice today. She was amazing."

"She's always amazing, it's just that not everyone always recognizes or appreciates her talent," Leroy corrected.

"That's true. As I was saying, she truly was amazing. Jesse convinced her to sing with him and it was the best I've heard either of them sound. The entire team took to her immediately. I think she'll be good friends with quite a few of them, and more than just friends with one of them in particular."

"She's too young to date," Leroy insisted.

"She's almost 16, Leroy. She's already driving. Besides, she and Jesse would make one very talented couple," Shelby pointed out.

"I want to meet this Jesse kid."

"You can meet Jesse, and the rest of the team, when you visit Rachel."

"We know nothing about him," Leroy said, concern evident in his voice.

"I've known Jesse for a long time. He's a good kid. He and Rachel hit it off right away. I'm pretty sure they went from total strangers to best friends in just the last couple of days. She insists they have a connection, and I think Jesse feels it too, but they haven't shown any signs of moving past the best friend stage…at least for now. Once they do, that's going to be it for them. There will never be another person who understands Rachel the way Jesse probably already does."

"I have to admit, that's something we've always wanted for Rachel. We never thought she'd find it this young, though."

"I didn't think so either, but as Rachel likes to say, it's just  _supposed_  to happen."

Leroy sighed.

"Hiram and I still would like to see her interact with these people. We need to see for ourselves that they truly accept Rachel. You understand."

"I do. Once you have a date set in stone, let me know so I can get everything arranged. I know Rachel's going to want you here with her, so I'll make up the guest bedroom for you and Hiram. Don't bother booking a hotel."

"You read my mind, Shelby."

"It's a talent," Shelby said with a laugh, "Do you have an idea of when you'll be back?"

"By Friday afternoon I think. I'll let you know tomorrow when I'll know whether or not we need to extend our trip."

"Sounds good. Goodnight, Leroy. Please tell Hiram I said hello."

"I will. Goodnight, Shelby."

Leroy hung up with Shelby and then turned to his partner.

"Rachel's in love."

"Already?" Hiram asked.

"Shelby insists it isn't there yet, but she feels a connection with this Jesse kid. She's only 15, Hiram."

"I know, but Rachel's always been wise beyond her years, far more mature than most girls her age. Shelby wouldn't let Jesse anywhere near Rachel if she thought he posed any sort of threat to her, so there's that, too."

Leroy sighed.

"I hate it when you're right. Why can't you just let me over-react like a normal father?"

Hiram laughed, leaning over to pat his husband's shoulder as he spoke.

"Because we are the Berrys. We don't do  _anything_  normally."

"That's true."

* * *

As the credits of  _Les Misérables_ played across the screen, Jesse reluctantly started to get up.

"You're leaving already?" Rachel asked.

"We have practice in the morning, Rach. It's almost 11, and practice starts at 9 tomorrow morning."

Rachel glanced at the clock and sighed dramatically.

"If it makes you feel better, you can borrow the musicals I brought over for a couple of days," Jesse offered.

"We only got to watch one of them."

"I know, but we'll watch the rest next week."

Rachel tilted her head slightly to the side as she studied the boy in front of her, trying to figure out if he was joking or not.

"I'm serious," Jesse said, as if reading her mind, "I had a lot of fun tonight. If we didn't have practice in the morning, I'd be all for another musical."

"Same day next week?" Rachel asked.

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow. 'Night, Rach."

"'Night, Jesse," Rachel returned, watching Jesse walk away.

* * *

Just as she was about to turn off her light and go to bed, Rachel heard a knock at her door. Figuring that it was just her mother coming to say goodnight, she opened the door quickly.

"I know you want to get your sleep, but I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes," Shelby said.

Rachel nodded and walked away from the door, her mother following close behind her. They took seats across from each other on Rachel's bed.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Shelby asked.

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"I did. Jesse's great."

"Do you still feel that connection with him?"

"Yes. I don't know what's going to happen, but I do know that I won't resist fate. Maybe Jesse and I are true love, maybe we're not."

Shelby ran a hand over her daughter's hair before she made her question known.

"Aren't you a little young to be thinking about true love?"

"I wasn't even thinking about it until I met Jesse. I know he's supposed to be in my life, I just don't know how exactly yet. I have fun with him and I enjoy singing with him. I also know he's going away to college next year, so there's that to think about."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. I'm going to surprise everyone and reward them for their hard work by ending rehearsal a little early tomorrow. At least, that's the plan. I was thinking maybe we could go get you any school supplies you need and maybe a few outfits as well."

"I'd like that," Rachel said with a smile.

"I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."

"'Night, Mom," Rachel responded, watching her mother walk out the room, closing the door behind her.

Rachel couldn't help but smile as she turned off her lamp and got into bed. She was looking forward to seeing her new friends and then being able to spend some more quality time with her mother. Her dads would be here in a few days if everything went as planned. She was still smiling as she closed her eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**  As always, a big thanks to everyone who read and especially to those who have reviewed this story. Since this my re-write of how I think Glee should have gone, I'm including characters who obviously weren't there in the beginning as well as ones who were or who show up in later seasons...basically any character that I like...or liked before RIB ruined them. Hope you all enjoy :)

 **Disclaimer:** If I owned Glee...Jesse and Rachel would be the primary couple on the show, and Finn would be non-existant. :)

* * *

Shelby was about to go knock on her daughter's door to make sure she was awake when she heard the doorbell ring. Glancing at her watch, Shelby realized it was later than she thought. Almost 6:00; when Jesse said he'd pick Rachel up. Making her way downstairs, Shelby opened the door and had to bite back a smile. To the untrained eye, Jesse looked as calm and collected as he usually did, but since Shelby had known him for many years, she could tell he was uncharacteristically nervous.

"Good morning, Jesse," Shelby greeted, motioning for Jesse to come in.

"Morning," Jesse returned absent-mindedly.

"I'm sure Rachel will be down in a little bit. You can go on up if you'd like, though."

"Are you okay with this?" Jesse asked as Shelby was about to walk away.

Shelby turned around to face her student with a smile.

"I have to be. I'll admit, it's going to take some getting used to, but the fact of the matter is that you and Rachel have been inseparable since the moment you met. There's no way I could interfere with a connection like that. I know what that feels like."

"You do?" Jesse asked, surprised since he'd never heard his teacher/coach talk like that before.

"Like I told Rachel, it's a story for another time. Go on up, I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."

"Thanks," Jesse said before he made his way upstairs to Rachel's room, still wondering about Shelby's seemingly off-handed comment.

* * *

Rachel had just finished getting ready for what she hoped was her morning date with Jesse when she heard a knock at the door. Figuring it was her mother, she called out for the person to come in.

"Rach? You almost ready?" Jesse asked, walking into the room.

Rachel whirled at the sound of Jesse's voice, surprise evident on her face.

"Uh, yeah, I just need to grab my bag."

Jesse nodded, watching as Rachel quickly threw the clothes she wore at practice into her bag, along with her wallet and keys.

"Okay, let's go," She said a few moments later, grabbing Jesse's hand and pulling him out of the room behind her.

"Do you know anything about someone from your mom's past that has something to do with a regret she has?" Jesse asked as they walked down the steps.

Rachel shook her head.

"No, but she said something to me last night that has me wanting to find out more."

"Was it something about a connection that you and I have?"

"No. She did tell me that I should follow my heart, though, and that letting her head talk her heart out of doing something was one of her biggest regrets," Rachel answered as they made their way outside to Jesse's Rover.

Jesse opened the passenger door for Rachel before he took her bag, tossing it into the back with his, and rounded the car to the driver's side.

"Where are we going?" Rachel asked as Jesse started the engine.

"It's a surprise. It's vegan-friendly, I promise."

"How did you know I was a vegan?"

Jesse began to drive down the road before he answered Rachel's question.

"You told me. Shortly after we met. It was during one of our musical marathons."

Rachel nodded, watching the houses and various other buildings she didn't recognize go by. She had no idea what to say to Jesse without making herself sound like a complete idiot, at least in her opinion.

"Is it not a good thing that I remembered that?" Jesse asked a short while later as he pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant Rachel had never seen before.

"It's a good thing, I was just surprised," Rachel answered.

"Good surprised or bad surprised?"

"Umm…good, I guess. No one, aside from my family and a couple of my friends from back home, ever bothered to remember that."

"I care about you, so I figure remembering things like that is a good thing."

"It is," Rachel assured him, "You just surprised me is all."

"Come on; let's go in, I can hear your stomach grumbling all the way over here."

Rachel smiled a little at the teasing comment as she realized she was indeed starving.

* * *

After ordering their food, Jesse and Rachel sat in companionable silence for a few moments while Rachel studied Jesse, trying to figure out why he had brought her here, why they were here just the two of them.

"You want to know why we're the only ones here, right?" Jesse asked, watching her from across the table.

"Okay, that's a little freaky," Rachel said with a small laugh, "but yes, I would like to know why you insisted on meeting me this morning, and why it's just the two of us here."

"I'll tell you after we eat," Jesse answered, earning a glare from the girl currently seated across from him.

"That's not fair," She insisted.

"It'll be worth it. I hope."

"Okay, now you're being cryptic."

Jesse simply smiled at her.

"Would it help if I said I promise to tell you before we leave for rehearsal?"

Rachel sighed.

"Fine. This better be good, St. James."

Before either teen could say anything else, the waitress came back with their food. The topic was forgotten as they ate and talked about all things music.

* * *

"What's this place called again?" Rachel asked as she followed Jesse out of the restaurant.

"Cravings," Jesse answered, "You liked it, then?"

Rachel nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, very much. I'll have to make sure to bring my dads here when they visit. It has something for both of them; which is difficult to find, especially in Lima."

"One of your dads is a vegan too?" Jesse asked as they reached his Rover.

Rachel nodded again.

"My Daddy is. Dad isn't, but he's willing to eat vegan food to make Daddy and I happy. We keep plenty of both types of food in the house. My mom even called my daddy for some vegan recipes, which he also said he'd bring more of when they bring me the rest of my things."

"So you like living with your mom?"

"Yeah. I mean, don't get me wrong, I miss my dads…and sometimes I even miss Lima, but I'm getting a chance to get to know my mom better plus I have the opportunity to go to a school where I don't have a slushie thrown in my face every day simply because I'm not a cheerleader or in any type of sport…well what the jocks at McKinley consider a sport."

"You grew up in Lima, and with your dads, it's understandable to miss them."

"I'm sorry your parents aren't around much."

Jesse shrugged.

"I've learned to live with it. I have a lot more freedom than most people my age, and it's not like they try to control everything I do from afar. Not that they haven't tried, but they learned not to bother when all I did was argue with them until they saw things my way. I have dreams, and having uninterested parents isn't going to change them."

Rachel was silent for a few more moments before she realized Jesse had yet to tell her why he'd brought her here.

"Jess?" Rachel started.

Jesse turned his head to look at Rachel.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

Opening the back of the Rover, Jesse took a seat and pulled Rachel to stand between his legs, keeping his arms around her waist, hands linked at her back. Unsure what to do with her own hands, Rachel simply rested them on Jesse's arms.

"I was hoping we could consider it our first date," He answered finally.

Rachel's answering smile was the brightest Jesse had ever seen.

"I'd like that."

"I like you a lot, Rach. I want to be with you, see where we can go with this. I know we haven't known each other that long, but ever since I met you, you're the only one that I want to be around. I know that sounds odd, but…"

Rachel cut Jesse off by pressing her finger to his lips.

"I understand. I want to be with you, too. Only you."

"Only you," Jesse repeated once Rachel removed her finger.

Rachel wrapped her arms around Jesse's neck and hugged him tightly. When she leaned back, she was only slightly surprised when Jesse leaned down and captured her lips with his in a sweet kiss.

"Mine," he whispered once they'd ended the kiss and were both a little breathless.

"Mine," Rachel whispered back, this time repeating his words instead of him repeating hers.

"As much as I'd love to continue to sit here with you, your mom will have our heads if we don't get to rehearsal on time."

Rachel nodded, reluctantly stepping out of her new boyfriend's arms.

"We can still have our musical nights, right?" Rachel asked, watching as Jesse closed the back of the Rover once more.

Jesse turned to his girlfriend and smiled at her before he leaned down to kiss her once more.

"Of course. I wouldn't trade those for anything. I'm afraid  _Funny Girl_  is going to be a slight disappointment now, though."

"Why?" Rachel asked, confused.

Jesse grinned at her.

"Because, Rach, you were  _incredible_  in rehearsal yesterday. Anyone who doubted you learned to regret it. I'll forever associate that song with your performance."

Rachel blushed a little, causing Jesse to chuckle as he opened the passenger door for her.

"I know I'm not the only one who thought you were incredible yesterday. I don't think I've ever seen the team, especially Giselle and Andrea, that shocked before. They don't know you, so they didn't know what an amazing voice you have, and they were surprised when such a big voice came out of such a little thing like you," Jesse continued once he'd taken his seat on the driver's side.

"It was kind of fun to see the looks on their faces," Rachel admitted, "My mom even called my dads last night and told them all about it. She had them on speaker phone so we could both talk to them…hearing the pride in their voices was worth so much more than I can begin to describe."

Jesse smiled at her.

"I'm happy for you, Rach. I'm also happy you don't have to go back to Lima in a couple of weeks."

"Me, too. I'm a little nervous, but my parents tell me I have nothing to worry about."

"I can't tell you exactly what your schedule will be, since I don't know all the graduation requirements for McKinley vs. Carmel, but I know for sure that all Vocal Adrenaline members have a music class with Shelby…well Ms. Corcoran when we're in class…and all Carmel students have one period of study hall. That could be filled with another class, but you have to get approval from the guidance counselor and the teacher for that."

"Will there be non-Vocal Adrenaline members in the music class?" Rachel asked as Jesse steered the Rover back onto the road.

Jesse nodded.

"Yeah. The music classes are open to anyone, and, as I'm sure you're aware, Shelby also offers private vocal and music lessons."

"Oh yeah. Some of her private lesson students had…questionable talent, but I can't really begrudge anyone who wants to learn about music."

"That's a good point. I know for sure there'll be at least one person who auditions for Vocal Adrenaline this year that gets in. Aside from you, since you're already in."

"How do you know that?" Rachel asked curiously as Jesse pulled into the Carmel High School parking lot.

"My cousin, who's also my best friend, will be here on Monday. I finally convinced him to leave the bullying he gets at his old school and transfer to Carmel. He's a fantastic singer and performer, so he'll fit right in here."

"If he's related to you, I'm sure he is," Rachel said before she got out of the vehicle, meeting Jesse at the back to grab her bag.

Jesse grabbed his own bag, shut the back of the Rover, and took Rachel's hand before he spoke again.

"My dad and his mom are brother and sister. They live just a few miles from here. Blaine was at Jefferson High, but he gets bullied on a daily basis and whoever is in charge there refuses to acknowledge anything is wrong."

Rachel squeezed Jesse's hand in what she hoped was reassurance before she asked her question.

"Why is he bullied?"

"He's gay. They treat it like it's a crime or something."

"That's pretty much how it was at McKinley too. If it hadn't been for Noah and Santana, Kurt and I probably never would have survived freshman year."

"Friends of yours from Lima?" Jesse asked as they approached the auditorium door.

Rachel shrugged.

"The only friends I have."

"I'm your friend. You seem to get along with the other team members too," Jesse said, opening the door for Rachel.

Rachel laughed.

"You're my  _boy_ friend, and the other team members I don't know well enough yet to consider my friends."

Jesse grinned at her.

"I never thought I'd like that title, but with you…I definitely do."

Rachel pulled Jesse down for a quick kiss.

"Good," She said as they pulled away from each other.

Before either could say anything else, they were both startled by a voice behind them.

"So you two finally got your act together."

Rachel turned to find Nina standing near the entrance.

"That's creepy," Jesse remarked.

"Sorry," Nina said with a smile and a shrug, "I honestly didn't mean to scare you. We're picking out outfits for the Invitational and Sectionals numbers, so if you two want a say, you better get your butts in gear and get on stage with the rest of the team."

"We'll be there in a minute," Jesse assured her.

"No. Now. You can change afterwards."

"I'd rather just change now. We still have a couple of minutes," Rachel said.

"Not like she won't wait for you," Nina said as she turned away.

"What does that mean?" Rachel asked, unsure if she should be irritated or not.

"You two are the leads. Shelby won't start rehearsal without you," Nina answered, walking backwards down the aisle.

At the look on Rachel's face, Nina laughed.

"We know you aren't the female lead just because you're Shelby's daughter. Your performance yesterday was beyond awesome. I'm sorry we doubted you. It's Sasha who has the problem, not the rest of us."

"Why?" Rachel wondered.

"Ask Jesse," Nina said before she turned back around and made her way down the rest of the aisle.

Rachel turned to look up at her boyfriend.

"Sasha thinks she's the best at absolutely  _anything_  and  _everything_  she sets out to do. It pisses her off when she realizes there's someone better out there. She'll get over it."

Rachel nodded as she followed Jesse back to the dressing rooms. Once they had both changed, Rachel and Jesse made their way onto the stage to join the rest of their team.

* * *

After rehearsal, Rachel decided to take a walk around Carmel while Jesse and Shelby talked about Blaine's transfer and audition.

"Are you lost?" asked a voice Rachel didn't recognize.

Rachel turned to face the stranger, a woman slightly taller than herself with bright red hair cut into a stylish bob and big, light brown eyes.

"No. Not exactly. I'm going to be starting at Carmel in a few weeks and I wanted to look around before it filled with students. My Mom, Shelby Corcoran, said it was fine."

"You do look a lot like Shelby, that's for sure. I'm Emma Pillsbury-Howell, one of the guidance counselors here. How about I give you a tour, and you can ask me questions?"

"Okay, sure," Rachel agreed with a nod as she fell into step beside Emma.

"So what brings you to Carmel?" Emma asked as they walked down the hallway.

"Vocal Adrenaline I guess. The show choir at my old school was nothing special, and the arts program there is lacking. I was venting my frustrations to my Mom, who I was originally staying with just for the summer…so we can get to know each other better, and she suggested transferring to Carmel, and joining Vocal Adrenaline. My dads and I had talked about it before, but they like Lima, and they both have good jobs there, so us moving was out of the question. My Mom offered to let me live with her so I could go to Carmel. I met Jesse the day after I started seriously considering the transfer, and we hit it off right away. I went with to a rehearsal the day after that and the rest is history. I'm the new female lead of Vocal Adrenaline," Rachel answered.

Emma nodded before she came to a stop near a group of rooms not far from where they'd been before.

"This is the music wing. Your Mom's office is in this wing, as are the ones for the band and orchestra teachers. There is an actual choir room, where Shelby's music classes take place. The band and orchestra take turns in the other room across the hall."

"We used a tiny little classroom at McKinley," Rachel said as she looked around the rooms.

"I'm hoping you'll enjoy your time at Carmel. Do you have any questions for me?"

Rachel began to walk next to Emma again before she spoke.

"Can you give me an idea of what my class schedule will look like?"

"Well, lucky for you, the graduation requirements for McKinley and Carmel are pretty much the same. I'd have to see your transcript to give you an exact answer, but there's obviously the music class, the foreign language requirement if you haven't met that yet, science, math, and a couple of spots for electives. Since you're in Vocal Adrenaline, I would highly suggest using your study hall hour to your advantage."

Rachel nodded, listening attentively as Emma continued their tour. As they were heading back towards the auditorium, Rachel asked a question she'd been wondering since she met Emma.

"How long have you known my mom?"

"Since I started at Carmel…about five years ago now. Is everything okay?"

"She keeps making these comments about following your heart, not letting your head talk you out of something your heart wants, and about connections with people."

"That's something you'll have to talk to her about. I've only heard her talk like that on a few occasions, and she usually pretends like it never happened when I try to bring it up. I can tell you, though, that whenever she talked about you, it was obvious she was proud of you and that she loves you."

Rachel smiled at the guidance counselor.

"Thank you. I should get back, before Jesse or my mom sends out a search party."

"It was nice meeting you, Rachel. I'm not sure if you'll be assigned to me or not, but you can always come to me if you need anything," Emma said before she walked away.

Rachel was still smiling as she made her way into the auditorium. Her mother and Jesse were still talking. She caught the words  _Bohemian Rhapsody_ ,  _Queen_ , and  _Regionals_  as she made her way down the aisle to where they were sitting.

* * *

Later that night, after dinner with Rachel and Shelby, Jesse walked into his house and expected to once again be alone. He didn't expect to see someone sitting on the couch waiting for him, legs and arms crossed in obvious annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" Jesse asked.

"What does it look like? Waiting for you. We need to talk."

"I have nothing to talk to you about."

"I know it's been a while since I've been home, but…"

"No buts. I've had a long day, and I have plans tomorrow, so I'm going to bed. Do me a favor and don't be here when I wake up," Jesse said icily before he turned around and started to make his way upstairs.

He heard the footsteps before he felt the hand on his arm. Jerking his arm away before anything could be said, Jesse quickly made his way the rest of the way up the stairs, locking the door to his room behind him. Tomorrow couldn't be here soon enough. He was actually looking forward to meeting Rachel's dads...and getting to spend another whole day with Rachel herself was another plus.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**  So after re-writing this chapter a few times, I'm finally okay enough with it to post it. I unfortunately have schoolwork to catch up on (i.e. papers to write...ugh) so I can't guarentee the next few chapters will be as speedy as these first few have been, but I'll try :) I hope you all like it and as always, thank you to everyone who took the time to review, favorite, or story alert this story. :)

So I originally posted this chapter once already but I guess it wasn't viewable (why I have no idea...but thank you to  **majestic seahorse**  for pointing that out for me)...I had an issue with Microsoft Word and maybe that affect the document..or maybe it was 's fault...who knows), but anyway I hope this works now :)

 **Disclaimer:**  As always, I don't own Glee or the song Rachel and Shelby sing :( If I did, St. Berry would be the featured couple.

* * *

The next morning, when Jesse was about to leave for Rachel's, he heard his name being called. Apparently his unwanted visitor hadn't left.

"Jesse Jonathan St. James, where are you going?" she asked.

Jesse sighed and rolled his eyes before turning around to face the owner of the voice.

"What can I help you with, Genevieve?" He asked irritably.

"I'm your sister. Can't I want to spend time with my little brother?"

"You're a few years too late on that one. You've been just as distant as Mom and Dad. Look, I'm going to be late…and Rachel will kill me if I'm late."

"Who's Rachel?"

"It's none of your business. Go away, Genevieve. Go back to wherever, and whoever, you're living with now."

"I'm getting married. I want you there. I want you to walk me down the aisle," Genevieve insisted.

"What part of  _go away_  do you not understand? I want  _nothing_  to do with any of you! I have a gorgeous girl waiting for me, who actually likes me for exactly who I am. I'm hoping she'll love me, will want to marry me, someday…but for now…I'll settle for her actually _wanting_  me around, actually  _wanting_  me in her life. Unlike a few members of the St. James clan I can name, yourself included," Jesse shot back icily.

"I'm  _sorry_ , okay? I just…wanted out of here so damn bad. Mom and Dad…like they even deserve those names…were just as distant with me as they were with you!" Genevieve shouted.

"At least  _you_  were  _wanted_!"

"Please! They adore you. Dad finally got the boy he always wanted to carry on the St. James name."

Jesse snorted.

"Right. Because they're so proud of me that they come to every one of my performances. They might pay for my education, and any other extra-curricular activities I choose to be involved in, but that's all the support from them that I get."

"You shouldn't be here alone."

"I've survived for the past few years while you went God only knows where, with God only knows who, doing God only knows what. Why are you so concerned about me now? You haven't been concerned about me since the moment you walked out this exact door five years ago."

"I was finally  _free_ , Jesse. You don't understand."

"You're right, I don't. Why do you suddenly want to be part of my life?"

"Because I  _regret_  what I did. You're my brother. I was selfish, but really what did you expect when Martin and Gwendolyn St. James are your parents. Selfish snobs who only decided to procreate to further their own agendas. I'm surprised they didn't just hire a surrogate."

"It reflects better on their image that Mother carried us. That they survived an  _accidental_  pregnancy with such resilience," Jesse said in fair imitation of their father's icy tones.

"Can we at least  _talk_?" Genevieve asked.

"Not now. I'm going to be late."

"If not now, then  _when_?"

Jesse ran a hand through his hair in irritation.

"I don't know. I'm busy. I have rehearsal almost every day for a good portion of the day. I have people in my life who actually  _want_  to spend time with me. If Rachel wants to spend time together after rehearsal, I won't turn her down."

Genevieve sighed.

"An hour. That's all I'm asking for. Just hear me out."

"Will you leave me alone about it if I agree?"

Genevieve nodded.

"Fine. Lunch on Sunday. Until then, I'd rather you find someplace else to stay."

"This is my house, too. You can't just order me out of it."

"I'm not," Jesse assured her, "I'm just stating my opinion."

"What if I don't find someplace else to stay?"

"Then I will," Jesse said before he walked out of the house, letting the door slam behind him.

* * *

When Rachel saw Jesse, she immediately knew something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she approached him.

Jesse pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Not yet, but I'm getting there."

Rachel tilted her face up to Jesse's for a kiss, something he was more than willing to give her.

"I know we have to get to rehearsal, but will you tell me about it?" she asked once they ended the kiss.

"I wanted your opinion anyway, and Shelby's, too, actually, so sure," Jesse agreed.

"You aren't moving or anything like that, are you? Because you can't. I know you're going away to college next year, but I just found you. You can't go away now…" Rachel started, only to be cut off by Jesse kissing her again.

"I'm not moving, not going anywhere. You can calm down, drama queen."

"Sorry."

Jesse chuckled.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You're perfect exactly the way you are."

Rachel hugged her boyfriend tightly in response.

"As much as I'd love to continue to keep you in my arms, your mom is expecting us at rehearsal and if we don't leave soon, we'll be late."

"She hates it when people are late."

"That I'm well aware of, trust me."

Rachel giggled as Jesse opened her door for her.

"I'm sure you do," she agreed.

"Here, pick something for the drive," Jesse said, handing his girlfriend his iPod.

Rachel smiled and nodded before she turned her attention to the musical device in her hands, wanting to find a good song for them to play on their way to rehearsal.

* * *

Shelby was sitting at the stage, playing around on the piano, when Jesse and Rachel arrived.

"Either we're really early, or everyone else is really late," Jesse commented as they walked into the auditorium.

"I asked you to come earlier than everyone else," Shelby explained, standing up.

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse made their way onto the stage.

Before Shelby could answer her daughter's question, Jesse spoke up.

"Set lists."

"Set lists?" Rachel asked, still a bit confused.

"Yes," Shelby said, handing a piece of paper to both Rachel and Jesse. "These are the songs I think would work best for the Invitational and for Sectionals. I'm still working on Regionals and Nationals."

Rachel scanned the paper in front of her. There were three good, solid group numbers for the Invitational and three more songs for Sectionals, including two with her and Jesse as leads.

"All group numbers for the Invitational?" Rachel asked.

"Is that a problem?" Shelby asked in return.

"I think she's just surprised," Jesse added.

"Did you not pick set lists at your old school?" Shelby asked.

Rachel shook her head.

"No. Mr. Ryerson picked them…and more often than not gave  _my_  solos to  _Hank Saunders_ , his pet."

"His pet?" Shelby wondered.

Jesse chuckled.

"That's what she refers to him as now. I guess this Mr. Ryerson was very…friendly with the boys in her show choir."

"Stool choir," Rachel muttered.

Shelby hugged her daughter as she laughed.

"You sounded just like Hiram when you said that."

"Daddy does like to add his own comments," Rachel agreed.

"So are you okay with the songs?" Shelby asked as Rachel moved from her arms to Jesse's.

Rachel nodded.

"I am. I have an idea for Regionals too, if that's okay."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Shelby asked, grabbing a nearby pen and pad of paper.

As Rachel outlined her idea, Shelby smiled to herself. Rachel seemed genuinely excited about having her ideas listened to and considered. It was a joy to have her around, and her teammates were quickly learning that as well. Almost all of them had taken to her pretty much from the beginning. Shelby's thoughts were interrupted by a question from her daughter.

"Since we have some time before everyone else gets here, will you sing something with me?"

"I have the perfect song," Jesse said, taking Shelby's previous seat at the piano.

Shelby smiled at her daughter and nodded.

"Sure. It's been a while since we've been able to sing together."

When Jesse played the opening notes of the familiar song, Shelby shared a smile with her daughter before she began to sing.

**I dreamed a dream in time gone by**

**When hope was high and life worth living**

**I dreamed that love would never die**

**I dreamed that God would be forgiving**

Walking to stand next to her mother, Rachel sang the next verse.

_Then I was young and unafraid_

_And dreams were made and used and wasted_

_There was no ransom to be paid_

_No song unsung no wine untasted…_

As they finished the song, Rachel and Shelby were surprised by the sound of applause. As they were singing, the rest of the team, who were now giving them a standing ovation, had made their way into the auditorium.

"Are you sure you can't sing with us as competitions, Shelby?" A boy Rachel recognized, but whose name she couldn't place yet, asked.

Shelby laughed as she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Chris, that would be breaking the rules. If you all want that National championship, that's not a very good idea. Rachel and Jesse singing together, however, is well within the rules."

"That was still awesome," he insisted.

"Well, thank you. However, as you obviously noticed, Rachel and Jesse were here well before the rest of you, which means…" Shelby started as Rachel and Jesse took seats in the lower half of the auditorium.

"Set lists?" Nina asked from her spot a couple of seats away from Rachel.

"Yes. Since it looks like you're all ready to go, let's get started on polishing the numbers that have been chosen," Shelby said before she walked off the stage and up the aisle to her desk.

* * *

Later that night, while they waited for the take-out Shelby had ordered, Jesse filled her and Rachel in on what had happened earlier that morning.

"I thought I saw her pull in yesterday," Shelby commented.

"A warning would have been nice," Jesse said irritably.

"I said I  _thought_  I saw her. There would have been no use in alerting you to nothing. For all I know, she could have been in and out and you'd never have known," Shelby answered firmly.

"I'm a little lost," Rachel confessed, "why exactly don't you two get along anymore?"

Jesse sighed befor he began to explain.

"She's six years older than me…she and I were pretty close growing up. We were all each other had. I didn't get close to Blaine until a little bit later. Basically, she started high school and we slowly started to drift apart. By the time she left, we were barely speaking. This is the first time I've actually had more than a minute-long conversation with her in four years and the first time I've seen her in over five. Once I figured out that she no longer wanted to be part of my life, I did the same thing with her that I did with my parents-I shut her out."

"What does she want?" Shelby asked.

"I guess she's engaged now. She wants me there, wants me to walk her down the aisle. She says she regrets not being a part of my life for so long, and she wants to talk…to catch up I guess."

"Would that be so bad?" Rachel asked cautiously.

"I really don't know. I want to believe her. She's my sister, I still care about her. I just feel like this is really sudden and there's something she's not telling me."

"Did you tell her you'd talk?" Shelby asked.

Jesse nodded.

"I told her that I didn't know when though, since we have rehearsal pretty much every day and if Rachel wanted to spend time together, I wasn't going to deny her."

"Of course not," Shelby said with a small smile, "What else did you say to her?"

"What makes you think I said anything else?" Jesse asked.

"Because I know you better than that. You never could resist the opportunity for a snarky comment or two."

"I told her that I made my own family. You, Rachel, Blaine, Janelle, and Kevin mainly."

"While that's true, Genevieve is your sister. I don't know her very well, as I moved here shortly before she left, but she's I don't think she's anywhere near the same type of person as both of your parents are. I think you should talk to her, find out why she's here, and go from there."

"I think that if she really wants to be part of your life, she needs to…prove it I guess," Rachel added.

Before anyone could say anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. While Shelby made her way towards the front door, Jesse turned to his girlfriend and leaned over to give her a quick kiss.

* * *

After dinner, Rachel and Jesse settled in her room to watch a movie.

"You pick," Jesse said, leaning against Rachel's headboard.

Rachel picked three movies and brought them over to where her boyfriend was currently lounging.

"I can't pick. You pick from these."

Jesse looked at the three movies Rachel had picked:  _Funny Girl_ ,  _Funny Lady_ , and  _A Star is Born_.

" _Funny Girl_ ," Jesse decided.

"That's what I was hoping you'd pick," Rachel said as she moved to put the movie in.

Jesse laughed.

"Why didn't you just pick it then? Testing me?"

"I don't need any so-called 'tests' to know how well you know me. You pay attention when I tell you things. But to answer the first question, I didn't realize I really wanted to watch  _Funny Girl_  until I had already brought all three movies over to you."

"You do know that I'll forever associate  _Don't Rain on My Parade_  with you now instead of Barbra, right?" Jesse asked as Rachel got settled next to him.

Rachel found herself blushing at Jesse's statement.

"It's  _Barbra_ , Jesse. She's… _iconic_."

"So are you. That performance was phenomenal, Rach. You'll be just as much of an icon as her someday," Jesse insisted.

Rachel leaned over to brush her lips over Jesse's.

"Thank you," she said before resting her head on his shoulder.

"Anytime," he responded, pulling the blanket up to cover her some more.

* * *

As she ended her conversation with Rachel's dads about their plans for the upcoming weekend, Shelby made her way upstairs. When she saw that Rachel's bedroom light was still on and heard the ending credits song of  _Funny Girl_ , she made her way toward her daughter's room.

"Rachel?" Shelby asked, knocking lightly on the door.

When she didn't receive an answer, she opened the door to find both Rachel and Jesse asleep on her bed. They were cuddled together under a blanket with Rachel's head resting on Jesse's shoulder and his head resting on hers, his arms tight around her. Not having the heart to wake the obviously peacefully sleeping couple, Shelby covered them with another blanket and then turned off the movie and TV. After writing a quick note and leaving it where at least one of them was sure to see it, she turned the bedroom light off and closed the door as quietly as possible before making her way down the hall to her own room.

Making her way into her room, Jesse's earlier comments about making his own family came to mind. Jesse considered her part of that family and it warmed her heart. Shelby considered Jesse part of her family as well and she'd do whatever it took to help him. There were only two other people could make Jesse as irritated as he was earlier-his parents. If he decided that he didn't want his sister in his life either, she would do whatever she had to in order help make that happen. If that included moving Jesse into her house, which would no doubt thrill both him and Rachel, and making sure the girl came nowhere near Jesse, then that's what she would do. She also had a feeling she was about to have a long overdue conversation with Genevieve St. James.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:**  To those of you who wanted me to update soon, you got your wish :) I hope you all continue to enjoy the story :) Special thanks to  **northstar61**  for being a sounding board for, and giving me her opnion about, something that comes up later in the chapter. Hopefully you all can view this without problems this time too :)

 **Disclaimer:**  Owning Glee would be nice. I would fire the current writers and appoint new ones who would write fabulous St. Berry scenes...buuut, unfortunately, I don't own Glee :(

* * *

"Jess, wake up," Rachel said, poking Jesse in the side to get him to do what she wanted-wake up.

"Stop poking me," Jesse returned, eyes still closed.

"If you would wake up, I'd stop poking you."

"You could make it worth my while to wake up."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that a kiss from my beautiful, talented girlfriend is something that would be worthwhile waking up for."

Rachel couldn't help but smile at Jesse's comment, and she did really like his kisses. With a mischievous smile, she tilted her face up and pressed a kiss to her boyfriend's cheek. Jesse opened an eye to look at her.

"That was mean, Rachel," he told her.

Rachel giggled.

"You didn't specify  _where_  you wanted a kiss."

Using the hand of the arm that wasn't currently keeping Rachel at his side, Jesse titled Rachel's face up again and brushed his lips with hers.

" _That_  type of kiss," he said once they'd ended the kiss.

"Noted," Rachel said with a smile.

"Rachel, it's still dark. Why are we awake? It's our weekend off. No early practice. We have an extra blanket too, by the way."

"What?"

Jesse picked up the second blanket.

"This was on your chair last I checked."

Rachel nodded in recognition, and then lifted confused eyes to Jesse's. As he pressed a soft kiss to her hair, he saw a white piece of paper propped up on Rachel's alarm clock.

"I think your mom let us a note," Jesse said with a nod of his head towards Rachel's bedside table.

Rachel turned in Jesse's arms so she could turn on her lamp and read the note. Now lying on his side, head propped up on one arm and the other around Rachel, Jesse watched as his girlfriend read the note from her mother.

"What does it say?" Jesse asked a few moments later.

"She said we looked peaceful, she didn't want to disturb us, she gave us an extra blanket in case we got cold, that she'll see us in the morning when we wake up," Rachel answered, placing the note back on her bedside table.

"She's obviously fine with me staying here, so let's just go back to sleep."

Rachel turned back to her boyfriend.

"You don't seem tired to me."

"Do I have to be tired to be able to hold my girlfriend?"

Rachel moved closer to Jesse, bringing her face close to his.

"No," she answered, giving him a sweet kiss.

"Good," Jesse replied, changing positions so he was once again resting against the mountain of pillows they had positioned against the headboard earlier, Rachel curled tightly into his side with her head resting on his shoulder.

Rachel smiled as she got comfortable once more.

"Think your mom would let me move in? Then we could do this every night," Jesse asked, only half-joking and unaware that he spoke aloud what Shelby was already thinking.

"Mm. Maybe. Would be nice," Rachel answered, already half-asleep.

Jesse smiled and then pressed a kiss to the top of Rachel's head before once again resting his head against hers. Sleep claimed them both within minutes.

* * *

Shelby had just stepped foot into the living room when she heard the doorbell ring. Wondering who would be at the door this early, especially since she knew for a fact that Jesse was still asleep upstairs, she made her way to the door. She was only half-surprised to find Genevieve St. James on the other side.

"Can I help you?" Shelby asked, already irritated by the woman's presence.

"Is Jesse here? He didn't come home last night and I'm worried. I think that's his car in the driveway…" Genevieve started, only to be cut off by Shelby holding her hand up.

"Yes, Jesse is here, and no, you may not see him. He's perfectly fine. You never worried about him before, so why now? What do you know that you haven't told him?"

Genevieve eyed the older woman carefully.

"What makes you think I'm hiding something?"

Shelby laughed humorlessly.

"You're a St. James. You're all notorious for hiding things. At least until it's in your favor to reveal them."

Genevieve narrowed her eyes at the woman in front of her, but Shelby seemed unfazed.

"You think that look works on me? Jesse stopped trying that  _years_  ago. So did your parents actually," Shelby said as she stepped outside, pulling the door shut behind her. "You don't scare me, and you don't intimidate me."

"I want to talk to my brother," Genevieve said adamantly.

"No," Shelby said just as adamantly. "Jesse has been no concern of yours for the past six years, why should he matter now?"

"He's  _my_  family, not yours, so I don't really think that's any of your business."

"If you were so concerned with family, you would have  _at least_  kept in touch with Jesse over the years. You don't just stop talking to someone you claim to care about. That's  _not_  how family works."

"I already apologized to Jesse. He's the only one I need to apologize to."

"You aren't part of the family that Jesse created for himself when his biological one all but deserted him and from what he tells me, he doesn't trust you. Therefore he won't let you into that particular family. Now tell me what you want with Jesse and what you're hiding."

"Or  _what_? You'll have me arrested?"

Shelby smiled at the younger woman. A cold, calculating smile which she reserved only for those who made her particularly angry.

"Well, considering the fact that  _you_  are currently on  _my_  property, I could have you arrested for trespassing."

"You never asked me to leave."

"No, not yet, but Jesse did tell you to leave him alone. Seeing as he's currently a guest in  _my_  home, I'm going to take a guess and say he doesn't want you  _here_  either."

"Our parents want to sell the house. They don't want to come back to Ohio. Ever. I could buy the house, if Jesse wants to stay there. I don't want him to have to transfer schools his senior year," Genevieve said finally.

Shelby studied the younger woman carefully. She didn't appear to be lying, but that didn't mean she was telling the whole truth either.

"So why couldn't Martin or Gwendolyn call Jesse and tell him themselves? I'm sure they're at least aware that their children don't talk. I don't understand why you decided to suddenly be Jesse's savior."

"He's my brother. I want to be part of his life again…I figured this was a good start."

"Jesse doesn't want or need you in his life. In fact, he's been happier than I've ever seen him these past few weeks. As far as Jesse's school goes-he's welcome to move in here, I actually think both he and Rachel would be ecstatic about it, or I'm sure he's welcome to move in with his aunt and uncle. Coincidentally, both options are within Carmel's school district, so lucky for Jesse, he won't have to switch schools no matter what he decides."

"Is Rachel his girlfriend? He mentioned her yesterday. Before he left."

"That's none of your business. If Jesse wants to talk to you, it'll be when he's good and ready. Not a moment before. If he wants you in his life, you can be damn sure he won't just let you right back in. You're going to have to  _earn_  his trust back,  _earn_  a place in his life. He's finally thriving, finally genuinely  _happy_  after years of what can only be categorized as neglect. There's no way in hell I'm letting you, or anybody else, take that away from him."

"Just let me talk to him," Genevieve insisted, acting as if she hadn't heard a word Shelby said.

With a sigh, Shelby grabbed Genevieve's arm tightly and all but hauled her down the street to the driveway of the St. James house, ignoring the protests from the smaller, younger woman.

" _This_  is as near Jesse as I want you to get. Even this is pushing it, Genevieve. I don't know you well, and I don't need to nor do I want to. Stay away from my family. That includes Jesse. Like I said,  _Jesse_  will talk to  _you_  when he's good and ready. Not a moment before. You will not push, prod, or otherwise  _annoy_  him into talking to you. Is that clear?"

Seeing the anger in the older woman's eyes, and still rubbing her arm, which she was sure would bruise later, Genevieve finally gave in.

"Fine, but they only have me a month to get a decision from Jesse. If you want to know why they couldn't ask him themselves, it's really not difficult to figure out. They really don't care about Jesse. They don't care about me. They don't care about anyone but themselves."

"You think I don't know that?" Shelby asked incredulously. "I'm well aware of the way Martin and Gwendolyn St. James act. Jesse will be  _nothing_  like them. In fact, I think Martin and I are long overdue for a conversation. Just do what I told you and you'll have one less person to worry about."

Not allowing Genevieve to say anything more, Shelby made her way back down the road to her own house. Pulling out her phone, she quickly dialed Leroy's number, smiling to herself when he picked up almost immediately. After reassuring him that Rachel was fine, Shelby promptly explained the entire situation.

* * *

"Mom?" Rachel called as she and Jesse made their way downstairs.

"I don't hear…anything,"

"Me neither. That's what worries me."

"Wait. Listen," Jesse said, nodding his head towards the door.

Listening carefully, Rachel could clearly hear Shelby's voice as well as another one she didn't recognize.

"That's Genevieve. What's  _she_  doing here?"

"I have no idea, but hush so we can listen. I know that look. That's the Don't Mess with Shelby Corcoran look. I'm sure you've seen it."

Jesse nodded.

"Oh yeah, many more times than I'd like to count. Thankfully, mostly not directed at me. Your mom can be  _scary_  when she's mad."

Rachel nodded, peeking out the window near the door just as Shelby grabbed Genevieve's arm.

"Go Shelby," Jesse said from beside Rachel.

Rachel smiled a little and nodded her agreement.

"I wouldn't want to be your sister right about now."

They watched as Shelby and Genevieve made their way towards the St. James house and as Shelby made a phone call on her way back.

"Who's she calling?" Jesse asked as he and Rachel made their way from the window to the kitchen.

"Probably my Dad," Rachel answered, pulling open the door of the fridge.

"Why your Dad?"

"He's a lawyer."

"What about your other dad?"

"Daddy has his own business. He helps companies get back on their feet after bankruptcy or something equally bad."

"That's got to be pretty rewarding. Helping so many people like that."

Rachel nodded in agreement.

"He seems to enjoy it, and Dad helps sometimes, too."

"How did they meet your mom?" Jesse asked as he ate some of the fruit Rachel had gotten out.

"Daddy went to school with her. When he and Dad decided that they wanted a child, they placed an ad in the paper. They were just as surprised when Mom answered it as she was when she realized who had placed it."

"Wouldn't she have recognized your Daddy's name?"

"The ad didn't have a name. Just a contact phone number. Plus, it was Leroy who answered the phone, not Hiram," Shelby answered as she walked into the kitchen.

"It's a cool story," Jesse admitted.

Shelby smiled, a genuine one this time.

"It is. Hiram and I weren't ever really close, but I always knew he'd make a great father."

"Dad said they originally didn't intend for the surrogate to be part of my life. How come you always were, even if I didn't see you much?" Rachel wondered, taking a seat next to Jesse at the kitchen table.

"They had only requested sonogram pictures, maybe a video. They offered to pay for any pre-natal vitamins the doctor recommended I take as well. I went a step further than that and invited them to every one of my doctor appointments, made sure they had their own copies of basically everything related to Rachel. At the time, my only request was that if Rachel were to want to be involved in the arts, that they give her the opportunity to do so. Dance lessons, voice lessons, acting lessons, everything. Shortly before Rachel was born, they sat me down and said they wanted to change the agreement. She'd still be their daughter, but if I wanted to have a place in her life, I could have it. The only stipulation being that if I wanted to be part of her life, I had to make an effort. If I wasn't going to make the effort, then they would keep the agreement as it was," Shelby explained.

"Obviously you chose option a," Jesse concluded.

Shelby shared a smile with Rachel before she turned back to Jesse.

"I did, and I've never regretted it. I did travel a lot when Rachel was younger, before I settled here in Akron, but I always made an effort to make time to spend with her. Although this summer is actually the longest period of time she and I have spent alone."

"I kind of intruded on that, didn't I?" Jesse asked.

Shelby shook her head.

"No, Jesse. You're one of the reasons I get to keep her longer, have more time with her."

Jesse shared a smile with his girlfriend at Shelby's statement.

"Who were you talking to?" Rachel asked, changing the subject.

"When?"

"Just now. Outside," Jesse clarified, though he and Rachel already knew the answer.

"Genevieve. I can see why Jesse doesn't want to talk to her."

Jesse rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to guess she noticed I didn't come home last night, and she got "worried", so she decided to see if I stayed here. She'd recognize the Range Rover, but she wouldn't have any clue if it was yours or mine."

"What did she want?" Rachel asked.

"Exactly what Jesse said she would," Shelby answered. "I told her that she needed to go back to her house and Jesse would talk to her when he's ready, not a moment before. I also told her not to threaten my family."

"She threatened Rachel?" Jesse asked.

Shelby shook her head, smiling at the teens in front of her.

"She did ask who Rachel was, but I refused to tell her. As far as you go, Jesse, you know very well that you've been part of my family for a while now so don't play innocent with me."

Jesse flashed her a grin.

"I didn't know you were that fond of me, Shelby."

"Please don't inflate his ego any more than it already is," Rachel playfully pleaded.

"I must be fond of you if I let you stay in Rachel's room last night," Shelby returned, taking three cups out of the cupboard and filling them with lemon water.

"Thanks for that, by the way," Jesse said as Shelby placed two of the cups on the table.

"You're welcome here anytime," Shelby answered, taking a seat across from the two teens.

"Do my dads know Jesse stayed with me?' Rachel wondered.

Shelby nodded.

"They weren't thrilled, but it  _is_  my house and they trust my judgment. They said they'd like to meet Jesse when they get here tomorrow."

"They do?" Rachel and Jesse asked in unison.

"Don't act so surprised," Shelby said with a laugh, "I talk to them every day. They're well aware how close you two have become. Although a possible restraining order against Jesse's sister wasn't the only reason I called earlier."

"What was the other reason?" Rachel wondered.

Shelby turned her attention to the student she already considered a son, who she had no doubt would actually  _be_  her son, through marriage anyway, one day.

"Genevieve told me that your parents are planning to sell the house you currently live in. She said she had the money to buy it, and your parents gave her a month to get an answer from you."

"Why from me? It seems like they made up their minds," Jesse said bitterly.

Rachel reached for Jesse's hand, was a bit relieved when he laced his fingers with hers instead of not taking it at all.

"I have no idea," Shelby answered honestly, "All I know is what I was able to get out of her. She keeps insisting she wants to be part of your life, but I don't trust her."

"Neither do I," Jesse agreed. "I really have no desire to live in the same house as her. If we were closer, then maybe it'd be okay, but she basically disappeared from my life for almost six years. I guess I could talk to my Aunt Janelle, see if she and my Uncle Kevin would be okay with me moving in for the remainder of my senior year."

"There is another option. This was the second reason I called Rachel's fathers. While this is my house, and it's ultimately my decision to offer this to you, I wanted Leroy's and Hiram's approval before I made my offer."

"What offer?" Rachel asked before Jesse could say anything.

"If you want to, Jesse, you're welcome to move in here with Rachel and me. I want you to have your own room here, but I honestly don't care which room you decide to sleep in, so long as you do just that. Sleep. You both have school, which means homework, and Vocal Adrenaline practice. If either of your grades suffer, or your performances suffer, I will have to enforce the separate beds rule. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Jesse said, squeezing Rachel's hand.

"I also think you need to talk to your sister before you make a final decision," Shelby finished.

"I might as well go get this over with, then. I need to get different clothes anyway," Jesse said, making a move to stand up.

"You'll be back?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse made their way to the door.

Jesse pulled Rachel into his arms, bent down to kiss her softly.

"Yes. I'll be back. I promise. I'm hoping this thing with my sister won't take long. I want her out of the house long enough for me to get my things in peace."

Rachel nodded, reluctantly stepping out of Jesse's arms.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Jesse promised before he opened the door and made the short trip down the block to his own house.

He wanted to get this so-called talk over with as soon as possible. He'd be more than happy to get out of his all too lonely house. It wasn't even a home anymore, he realized. Hadn't been for a while. Now that he had an opportunity to change that, he wasn't sure he'd be able to pass it up...even if he'd wanted to.

* * *

 **A/N:**  So I have no idea how restraining orders and such work, but for the sake of my story...well they're basically going to work the way I need them to. I don't plan on it coming to that anyway, but just in case. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter...and don't forget to review! :)


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:**  So...I wasn't planning on updating this soon, but this came together a lot faster than I anticipated, so here you go :) A little bit of a longer chapter, with lots of fluff at the end and a granted wish for  **northstar61**  :) I hope you all enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, I'd hire fabulous St. Berry writers to fix the mess that RIB have turned Glee into and of course to write lots of fabulous St. Berry scenes. :)

* * *

Walking into what he'd already decided would be his former home, Jesse immediate knew his sister was waiting for him. Deciding that he might as well just get this what was sure to be unpleasant conversation over with, he went looking for her. He didn't have to look far. She was in the living room, looking mad and rubbing her arm. Jesse couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips.

"Shelby give you a hard time?" he asked.

Genevieve raised un-amused eyes to her brother's.

"She manhandled me!"

Jesse rolled his eyes.

"You think  _that_  Shelby was scary? I've seen worse. You had no right to practically barge into her house like that. I told you that we would talk tomorrow over lunch, but apparently you just couldn't wait, could you? You must have inherited Mother's impatience."

"Don't play funny with me, Jesse."

"I'm not," Jesse told her, "I want to know why you're here and what exactly it is that you want with me now…nearly six years to the date that you walked out of my life without ever looking back."

"I'm sure she already told you," Genevieve snapped.

"She did, but I want to hear it from you.  _Why_  are you here and  _why_  are you insisting on a place in my life?"

"Mom and Dad are selling the house. Something about not wanting to have to come back to Ohio. They sent me to get any of the things I still have here that I want. I didn't want you to be displaced during your senior year, so I offered to buy the house from them."

"And what? So graciously let me live here? You figured that I'd…what? Owe you one? Then I'd be so grateful for you practically saving my life that I'd automatically let you back in?"

Genevieve was silent, taken aback by the fact that Jesse had pretty much just read her mind. Her silence was all the confirmation Jesse needed.

"I'm done asking you to leave me alone," Jesse started only to be interrupted by his sister.

"So you'll let me back in?" Genevieve asked hopefully, though Jesse had no idea why.

"No," Jesse said, finality evident in his voice, "You have no place in my life anymore. You lost that place years ago."

"Jesse, please."

"I'm really beginning to think you're mentally unstable or something. You act like a selfish, spoiled brat to the woman who helped me to become who I am today, and then you turn around and beg me like a child to let you back into my life. Which is it, Genevieve?"

Genevieve stood, began to pace.

"I didn't go there intending to act like that. She just made me so  _angry_. She acted like she knew what was best for you. She's not family, Jesse."

"She might not be yours, but she's most definitely mine. I made my own family when my biological one all but deserted me. Sure, Mother and Father send money my way, and I'll admit having money is nice, but money doesn't replace family. It doesn't replace the feeling that you actually  _belong_  somewhere. Uncle Kevin, Aunt Janelle, Blaine, Shelby, and now Rachel; those are the people I truly feel I  _belong_  with."

"I know you don't trust me, and I probably do seem rather mentally unstable, I just have no idea who you are anymore. I don't know how to relate to you, how to make you understand that I sincerely  _want_  to be part of your life."

"Why?" Jesse asked after a moment.

"Why…what?" Genevieve returned, obviously confused.

Jesse ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

" _Why_  do you want to be part of my life? Why now?"

"I told you. I'm getting married, I want you there."

"You want someone to walk you down the aisle because while our father may have consented to pay for said wedding, he clearly doesn't want to be there and he doesn't want to walk you down the aisle. You don't want to sacrifice the tradition of being walked down the aisle."

The look in Genevieve's eyes told Jesse everything.

"You'd play nice," he continued, "until after the wedding was over. Then you'd walk right back out of my life like it was nothing. You'd go on your surely expensive honeymoon satisfied that you managed to once again get whatever you wanted."

"Is it so  _wrong_  to want that traditional part of the wedding ceremony?" Genevieve all but yelled.

"No," Jesse admitted, "but the way you're going about it is all wrong. Had we kept in touch, had you shown me that you wanted to be part of my life even from afar, then maybe I'd be willing to do as you asked. But you didn't. You walked out that door almost six years ago and  _never_  looked back. Do you even understand how much that  _hurt_? To realize that the one person you thought would always be there for you suddenly decided that you weren't good enough?"

Genevieve studied her brother for a moment before she spoke.

"I understand the hurt that Mom and Dad caused when they decided that they were done doing the whole raising children thing. They stuck around here while Mom was pregnant, because just like you said; it looked really good for their image, and shortly thereafter, but then they went back to their old ways by just up and leaving again. I had gotten my hopes up again, even though I knew I shouldn't. When they walked away again, I physically  _hurt_."

"So why did you do the  _exact_  same thing to me?"

"I don't know. I didn't plan on it. I just got busy with school, making friends. I barely had enough time to sleep. I kept thinking I would get in touch with you tomorrow, that one more day wouldn't make much of a difference. One day turned into a week. A week turned into a month. A month turned into six. Six months turned into a year. That one year turned into two, and now almost six. I really  _am_  sorry, Jesse."

"If I accept your apology, will you leave me alone?"

"No. I plan on being part of your life."

"You can't just make yourself part of  _someone else's_  life, Genevieve. That's not how this works. You can have the house, I really don't care. I'm moving out. I was made an offer I simply couldn't resist. I'll be out within a week. Do whatever you want with the house after that," Jesse said, turning to go upstairs.

"Why won't you let me at least  _try_  to be part of your life?" Genevieve asked.

Jesse whirled to face his sister once more, his tone serious.

"Because I know how things work with you. I refuse to put myself through that again. I'm old enough to make my own decisions in regards to who I allow into my life. I want  _nothing_  to do with you. I have everything I need with the family that  _I_  made for myself. I turn 18 in a few days and one of my trust funds comes due then, though I'm sure you already knew that. I'll get another when I turn 21 and again when I turn 25. I  _will_  get a full ride to college and our parents will pay for wherever I decide to live, because that's how they show that they care and they'll consider it part of their education. It'll look good for their image-helping their son out with his education so he can concentrate on his studies, and not have to worry about how he's going to make ends meet."

"What if I make an effort? I'll stick around here and…"

"No," Jesse said, cutting her off. "I want you to leave. I'm going back upstairs to get some of my things and then I'm going back to Shelby's. I'll be back in a few days to get the rest of my things. Like I said earlier, I'll be out within a week."

"Where will you live?" Genevieve asked.

"That's none of your business."

"Jesse,  _please_."

"No. It's a simple word, Genevieve. Look it up if you have to. I want  _nothing_  to do with you," Jesse snapped before he turned and walked upstairs to his room, locking the door behind him before making his way to his bathroom so he could shower, change, grab some of his things, and get back to Rachel.

* * *

"I'm worried about Jesse," Rachel confessed as she and Shelby sat on the couch in the living room.

It had only been a few hours since Jesse left, but Rachel worried more every second he wasn't with her.

"I know," Shelby said with a sympathetic smile, "but Jesse can handle his sister. She acts tough, but she's really not."

Rachel sighed, leaned against her mother for comfort. "She wouldn't do anything to hurt him, would she?"

Shelby wrapped her arms around her daughter, hugging her close.

"Not physically. She and Jesse can both cut people down with their words, but she's not physically strong enough to do any damage to him."

"You've met her before then? Before this morning?"

Shelby nodded.

"I have. I'm not sure she really remembers me, since I met her shortly before she walked out of Jesse's life. I had just moved in, was getting settled. I met Martin and Gwendolyn St. James and their children, Genevieve and Jesse. Genevieve looks like a carbon copy of their mother while Jesse was more of a mixture. He has Gwendolyn's curly hair, but Martin's eyes and skin tone. Both are relatively tall, Martin a bit taller than his wife. Jesse's about the same height as his father, but that's where the similarities end. Jesse is  _nothing_  like his father, and he'll be a better man because of it."

"Did you feel a connection to Jesse too?" Rachel wondered.

"Not the same one you did, obviously, but in a way, yes. I knew there was something special about him, knew he was somehow different from the rest of his family…and they considered him a bit of an outcast because of that difference. Being a boy worked in his favor because then his father didn't look like a failure for not having an heir to the St. James name."

"How horrible," Rachel whispered.

Shelby pressed a kiss to the top of her daughter's head.

"I guess Jesse has his father's determination, too, but he uses it differently. His aunt, Martin's sister, is nothing like her brother either. I never met Jesse's grandfather, but I have a feeling he wasn't much different than Martin himself. Janelle, that's Jesse's aunt, and her husband, Kevin, have been very supportive of Jesse. Their son loves the arts too, so the two often spent a lot of time together. Once Jesse joined Vocal Adrenaline, he immediately became the male lead. I got to know him over the years, and we developed a friendship or sorts. I live a lot closer than Janelle and Kevin do so if he needed anything, it was easier for him to just walk down the block to me instead of going across town to his aunt and uncle."

Rachel nodded, unsure what else to say.

"He'll be fine, baby. I'm sure he'll appreciate that you were worried, though," Shelby assured her daughter.

"I know, I just wish he'd get back here already."

"While we wait, you could fill me in on how things are going with the two of you. I can tell you that I've never seen Jesse happier than he has been since you two met."

Rachel smiled, thinking about her boyfriend. The title didn't seem to fit the way she felt about him, though. She'd always felt things rather intensely, something else she had in common with her mother, but experiencing true love, meeting her soul mate. That was a feeling she couldn't quite describe.

"Things are wonderful. He's amazing. I wasn't sure I'd ever meet someone I could share my life with, who would understand me on so many different levels. When I met Jesse, it was just like everything fell into place. I didn't have to wish anymore. I have the real thing, and I have every intention of holding onto it for dear life," Rachel answered.

Shelby smiled.

"I can tell you make each other happy, and it warms my heart. For both of you. It's not easy for Jesse to let people in; trust is very much something that has to be earned with him."

"I didn't really give him a choice in the matter, did I?"

Shelby laughed.

"No, my darling daughter, you didn't. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though."

"Do you think my dads will like Jesse?" Rachel asked, a bit of panic in her voice

"I do," Shelby answered soothingly. "You'll always be their little girl, but once they see how happy you two make each other, I'm sure they'll be fine. Remember, if they hadn't been okay with Jesse living here, I couldn't have made the offer to him."

"That's true," Rachel said softly.

Before Rachel or Shelby could say anything else, they heard the doorbell ring.

* * *

Jesse shifted his bags on his shoulder as he waited for Shelby or Rachel to answer the door. He hoped to God that Shelby's offer was still good-he loved his relatives, but he really didn't want to live with them. Plus, he'd be across town from Rachel, and that wasn't something he wanted either. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when he saw Shelby open the door and smile at him. Immediately after he'd entered the house, she shut the door behind him and reached for his bags.

"I'll take those upstairs for you. Rachel's been worried about you."

"Thanks," Jesse murmured before he made his way further into the house and down the hall to the music room.

* * *

Rachel sat at the piano, attempting to play what she now considered her and Jesse's song. The word  _hello_  had an entirely different meaning to her now. It would forever make her think of the first time she had gotten to sing with Jesse. She was nowhere near as talented as him when it came to playing the piano, but she knew some songs and she knew the notes. She was so busy looking at the keys and humming the melody that she didn't notice that Jesse had walked into the room until he slid onto the piano bench beside her.

"Jess," Rachel breathed.

Jesse leaned over to brush his lips with Rachel's.

"Rach."

"I was trying to play our song. Not very well I might add," She confessed, looking down at the piano keys again.

Jesse smiled as he tilted Rachel's face up and towards him so he could look into her eyes.

"I think it's sweet that you were trying. I could teach you, if you'd like."

Rachel returned her boyfriend's smile.

"I'd like that. For now, though, could we just sing it?"

Giving his girlfriend one more kiss, Jesse nodded in agreement before launching into the opening notes of  _Hello_.

* * *

Shelby had just finished setting Jesse's bags in what would now become his room when she heard her cell phone ring. Not bothering to glance at the caller ID, she quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Who do you think you are, letting Jesse move out like that?" the angry voice on the other end demanded.

"Hello to you, too, Martin. So glad to hear from you. Jesse's fine, thanks for asking. Your daughter, on the other hand, deserves to be sat down and talked to like the child she obviously still is."

"I'm not in the mood for funny business, Shelby."

"Neither am I. I'm simply looking out for Jesse, like I have been for nearly six years now. The only helpful thing your daughter did is divulge is your plans for the Akron house. So nice of you to send a messenger."

"Gwendolyn told me she spoke to Jesse about it."

"Well she lied. Jesse knew nothing of it until I told him and your daughter confirmed it. I offered to let him move in here, since he has repeatedly said he wants nothing to do with Genevieve."

"They're siblings."

"Jesse is your son, Martin, and yet you've shown absolutely no interest whatsoever in any of the things that mean the most to him. If it weren't for me, your sister, and her husband, I don't know if Jesse would have survived."

"He's weak. He's always been weak."

Shelby scoffed.

"You're the weak one, Martin. If you had been in Jesse's shoes, I doubt you would have survived. He created a family of his own when his biological one deserted him. He's finally  _happy_. He turns 18 in a few days and after that, you can't decide where he lives any more, among other things. He'll be staying with me for as long as he likes. Someone has to be there for him, since you and your wife so obviously don't want to be. Though you might want to talk to your daughter about her manners."

"Why would I do that? She's a grown woman."

"Because she decided that it was perfectly fine to come over to  _my_  house this morning and demand to speak to Jesse. When I refused, she tried to basically tell me that I couldn't tell her what to do. I had to physically take her back to your property just so she would leave me, and Jesse, alone. She also keeps asking about  _my_  daughter, who is absolutely none of her concern."

"Why would she be concerned about your daughter? She doesn't even live with you."

Even though Martin couldn't see her expression, Shelby's lips curved into a sly smile.

"She is now. She starts at Carmel next week. She's also dating your son."

" _What?_ " Martin all but yelled, obviously not pleased.

Enjoying herself, Shelby continued.

"She'll be your daughter-in-law someday, Martin. You might as well get used to the idea now, though I doubt you'll earn an invitation to their wedding."

After a few moments of silence on the other end, Shelby spoke again.

"You will leave Jesse alone. You're just angry because he'll be a better man than you ever were. You're jealous of your own son, your own flesh and blood. I'm sure you wouldn't want that getting out, tarnishing your image and all that."

"Fine," Martin snapped, "but if something happens to him, I'm holding you completely responsible."

"Fine by me. Goodbye, Martin," Shelby returned before she snapped the phone shut, effectively ending the call.

Making her way downstairs, her mood was immediately lifted as she heard the sound of a piano, followed by both Rachel's and Jesse's voices, drifting down the hall from the music room. Deciding to leave them be, she made her way into the kitchen and began to prepare dinner, reminding herself to thank Hiram when she saw him tomorrow for sending her all of his vegan recipes.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, once dinner was done and ready to be served, Shelby made her way down the hall to the music room where she was positive Rachel and Jesse still were. Jesse was patiently teaching Rachel how to play their song, giving her tips on sight reading.

"Rachel, Jesse, dinner's ready," Shelby said, reluctantly interrupting them.

"It smells wonderful," Rachel said, pressing a kiss to Jesse's cheek before walking down the hall towards the kitchen, aware that Jesse wanted a moment alone to talk to her mother.

"If the offer's still good…" he started, at an unusual loss for words.

"You're welcome here anytime, Jesse," Shelby said with a reassuring smile. "Yes, the offer is still good. I'll let you tell Rachel, I'm sure she'll be ecstatic. I already spoke to your father as well, so everything is taken care of."

"He called you, didn't he?" Jesse guessed.

"He did. He wasn't pleased, but he knows better than to argue with me. Besides, you'll be 18 in a few days, and then he has no more say over you."

"So I should wait until I'm 18 to officially move out?"

"That's up to you. Even if you don't get the rest of your things for a few days, you're still welcome here. Welcome home, Jesse."

Jesse smiled and then stood to hug Shelby.

"Thanks," he said before he headed down the hall to join his girlfriend in the kitchen.

After surveying the room once more, and smiling at the thought of all of the new memories it now held, Shelby joined her daughter and the boy who would one day be her son-in-law for dinner. Their first as a new sort of family unit-one they'd created for themselves.

* * *

Jesse was getting this settled in what was now his new room when he heard his door open. Shelby would have knocked first, so it had to be Rachel. Turning, he smiled when he saw his suspicion was correct.

"Done helping your mom clean up already?" Jesse asked as Rachel walked into his arms.

Rachel nodded as she wrapped her own arms around Jesse's neck. "She said you had something you wanted to tell me."

This time it was Jesse's turn to nod. "A couple of things, actually, but first…I'm taking your mom up on her offer. I'm moving in."

Rachel grinned and hugged Jesse tightly, her grin widening when he wrapped his arms just as tightly around her and picked her up.

"What's the second thing?" she asked as he set her back down on her feet.

"I'll tell you before we go to sleep tonight. I promise. For now, you should get started on your routine since we had a late dinner and we fell asleep before you could do it last night."

"Kicking me out of your room already?" Rachel asked with a mock pout.

Jesse chuckled, leaned down to kiss her.

"Never."

Rachel grinned at him.

"I'll hold you to that. You're right, though. Meet me in my room in about a half an hour?"

"Deal," Jesse answered, brushing his lips with Rachel's once more.

After stealing another kiss from her boyfriend, Rachel made her way across the hall to her own room. She was really curious as to what Jesse wanted to tell her and she was excited to see her dads tomorrow. She wanted to see her Lima friends before she started school again, but she wasn't sure that was going to happen. Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals started again on Monday, and once school started she knew they'd be going farther into the night. Deciding to try to figure out what Jesse wanted to tell her instead, Rachel grabbed her pajamas and walked into her bathroom to start her nightly routine.

* * *

True to his word, a half an hour later, Jesse walked into his girlfriend's room in the same fashion she had walked into his-not bothering to knock, knowing he was welcome.

"Rach?" He called, not seeing her immediately.

Rachel was smiling when she poked her head out of the bathroom. "I'll just be like five minutes longer."

Jesse nodded, settling himself on her bed while he waited. He found himself so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice that nearly ten minutes had passed before Rachel joined him on the bed.

"Jess," She said, poking his side the same way she had that morning.

"You know there's better ways to get my attention other than poking me, right?" Jesse asked with a laugh.

Rachel grinned at him.

"I know, but this way I for sure get your attention."

"You've had it since the moment I laid eyes on you."

Rachel blushed a little before she remembered that Jesse had promised to tell her something else before they went to sleep.

"What else did you want to tell me?"

"It's important," Jesse started, pulling Rachel into his arms and stroking her hair. "It's not something I've said to many people, what the words mean in regards to you isn't something I've  _ever_  said to anyone else. When I realized what I was feeling, I sort of panicked. I called Blaine, and he just laughed at me. Talking with him, I realized that I panicked because it was a new emotion for me…sort of."

Thinking that his rambling was adorable, Rachel simply smiled and nodded, urging him to continue.

"I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. The moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you'd become someone important in my life. I guess it goes with that intuition thing you and your mom are always talking about. I felt…connected to you immediately. That was before I knew that you shared my interests, before I knew a whole lot about you."

"I understand," Rachel said, reaching up to run her fingers through Jesse's hair.

"Our date only solidified what I already knew I felt. I know it wasn't really romantic, but I didn't want to wait. I knew I needed to be with you, I knew I wanted to be with you," Jesse continued.

"It was perfect," Rachel said quietly. "The fact that you paid attention when I told you I was a vegan, and you kept that in mind when you picked a place, that meant so much to me. Most people just shrug it off like it's not important, but it is. You knew that."

"Everything about you is important.  _You_  are important to  _me_."

"What do you mean by our date only solidified what you already knew?" Rachel wondered.

Reaching to pull her closer, Jesse leaned over and kissed Rachel before he whispered the three words he'd been wanting to tell her since shortly after he met her.

"I love you."

Hearing Jesse's whispered words, Rachel felt like she wanted to cry-and not because she was sad. Hoping her voice didn't sound too watery, she returned the words her boyfriend had just said to her.

"I love you, too."

Unable to express in words just how happy it made him to hear those words back, Jesse pulled Rachel further into his arms and kissed her, hoping the kiss would convey what he was currently unable to verbally. He smiled into the kiss and then deepened it as he felt Rachel wrap her arms around his neck to keep him close.

After they broke apart due to lack of air, Jesse rested his forehead against Rachel's.

"You've become my world, Rach. I can't imagine my life without you. I want to marry you someday, have a family with you. I understand we're young, but if you don't feel the same way…if you don't love me the same way that I love you, I need you to tell me now."

Rachel let the tears fall this time. What Jesse had just told her was beyond anything she'd ever imagined.

"Why are you crying?" Jesse asked, wiping the tears away.

Rachel sniffled a couple of times before she spoke.

"Because what you just said to me…I never thought I'd someone who would love me like that. Especially not at only 15. I knew I loved you shortly after I met you, and you've become my world too. I want all of those things too-marriage, family, everything. I want to be there to witness every step of your career, and I'd love to star on Broadway with you, too."

"That's an inevitability," Jesse answered, leaning forward to capture her lips with his once more.

"I love you, Jess," Rachel whispered as they ended the kiss.

"I love you, too, Rach."

Cuddling closer to her boyfriend, the boy she had no doubt was the love of her life, Rachel closed her eyes, completely content. Pulling the blankets up to cover them once more, Jesse rested his head against Rachel's before he too closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep with the girl of his dreams held tightly in his arms.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:**  For those of you who have read the latest chapter of  **northstar61** 's story,  _Someone to Love You_ , you've already basically heard this, but still. I know this story is relatively new, and my updates are in no way consistent the way those of some authors are, but if you are reading this story, please review. The reason  _I_  ask you to log in to review is so that I can reply to your review, even if that response is simply a  _thank you_. RIB insist on the inferior Finchel as the canon couple (why I'll never understand) and as canon, it's basically shoved down our throats. As the previous chapter's disclaimer said, if I  _could_  replace Glee's current writers with the many wonderful St. Berry ones here on , I would. Seeing as that's obviously not possible, I agree with  **northstar61**  about encouraging those authors that  _do_ care about St. Berry and giving them the happy ending that they so very much deserve.

 **Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, which I don't, it would be drastically different. I don't own  _Wicked_  either, but that'd be cool too if I did :)

* * *

The next morning, Jesse was surprised to find that he was awake before Rachel. She was still fast asleep in his arms. Shifting slightly, he leaned over to brush his lips with hers.

"Rach," he whispered close to her ear. "Wake up."

"Sleeping," Rachel responded, causing Jesse to chuckle.

"Wake up, my love, or no soy vanilla latte for you."

Rachel opened her eyes to look at her boyfriend.

"That's mean, Jess."

Jesse laughed.

"How is that mean?" he asked.

"Calling me your love and then bribing me with the latte you know I like."

"It worked, didn't it?"

"Stop smirking. You know it did. Is breakfast included in this bribe?"

"I thought you were meeting your dads for breakfast."

"Brunch, but I'm hungry now."

"We could make a deal," Jesse suggested.

"What kind of deal are we talking?" Rachel asked, eyeing her boyfriend suspiciously.

"If you get up now, I'll buy you that latte and a  _small_  breakfast."

"Give me a kiss and you've got yourself a deal."

Jesse grinned at her before he did as she asked.

"I love you," Rachel whispered when they ended the kiss.

"I love you, too," Jesse responded with a smile.

Reluctantly leaving her boyfriend's embrace, and the comfortable bed, Rachel got up and walked over to her closet.

"I want you to meet them," she said as she took out a black skirt.

"Your dads?" Jesse asked, surprised.

"Who else would I be talking about?"

"Good point."

"They'll love you. Besides, they're going to be here for a few days anyway so it's not like you won't run into them at some point."

"That's true, but I could always go stay at Blaine's or something."

"Do you want to?" Rachel asked, turning to face her boyfriend.

Jesse stood and walked over to his girlfriend, pulling her into his arms.

"No. I'd love to meet them. I didn't want you to feel pressured to let me meet them just because I live here now."

"I wanted you to meet them even before you moved in," Rachel confessed.

"You did?" Jesse asked, wondering if she was ever going to stop surprising him and then deciding that she probably wouldn't, but it didn't matter so long as she remained his.

Rachel nodded.

"I love you, Jess. You mean so much to me, and they do too. I want you all to like each other and get along."

"I'm sure we will. I'll meet you downstairs in about twenty minutes, okay?"

Rachel tilted her face up for another kiss. After Jesse obliged, she nodded again.

"Okay."

* * *

Returning from the trip to the coffee shop, Jesse saw a car in the driveway that he didn't recognize. Judging from the confused look on Rachel's face, he knew that she  _did_  recognize it, or at least she  _thought_  she did.

"My dads are here already?" she wondered out loud.

"Looks that way, if that is indeed their car," Jesse responded.

"I feel bad, we didn't get them anything."

Jesse chuckled.

"I'm sure they'll understand, Rach. I have a feeling they meant to surprise you."

"You think?" Rachel asked as they walked into the house.

"That would be my guess. I'm sure your parents are all together…and it's still technically breakfast time, so let's try the kitchen first."

Rachel nodded, grabbing Jesse's free hand and leading him down the hall. When they entered the kitchen, they saw the three adults standing around the center island. Shelby was the first to spot them.

"That was fast," she said, taking the tray out of Jesse's hand and setting it on the counter.

"It's still early, there weren't too many people there," Jesse answered as Rachel greeted her fathers.

"You got two cups of coffee?"

Jesse shook his head.

"We got one for you, too. Hazelnut, right?"

Shelby smiled and nodded.

"How did you know?"

"Aside from the fact that Rachel told me? I've known for a while, I can smell it the mornings that I'm here and when you've brought it to rehearsal."

"You're very perceptive," said a new voice Jesse didn't recognize.

"I try to be," Jesse answered as Rachel returned to his side.

"Leroy Berry," Leroy said, holding out his hand.

"Jesse St. James," Jesse returned, shaking Leroy's hand, and then Hiram's when he introduced himself.

"Are we still going out to breakfast?" Rachel asked her fathers.

"Your Dad and I were thinking we could cook for all of you," Hiram answered.

"You don't have to do that," Shelby started.

"We want to," Leroy stated with a smile. "Hiram has a new omelette recipe he wants Rachel to try. If she likes it, we'll leave it with you so she can make it herself sometime."

Shelby turned to the two teens.

"Why don't you two go play something for us while we get breakfast ready?" she suggested.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Rachel asked.

"We'll be fine, sweetie," Hiram assured her.

"Come on, Rach," Jesse said, taking Rachel's hand in his. "Let's go sing."

Leroy watched the two teens leave the room before he turned to help Hiram and Shelby with breakfast.

* * *

"What do you want to sing?" Jesse asked as he led Rachel into the music room.

Rachel looked through the music in the room, grinning when she spotted the book of songs she wanted. She was still smiling as she handed it to Jesse.

" _Wicked_?" Jesse asked with a grin.

Rachel nodded.

"Elphaba is on my list of future Broadway roles."

Jesse flipped through the book, setting it up on the piano when he found the song he wanted Rachel to sing.

"Who's going to be your Fiyero?" he asked, playing the opening notes.

Recognizing the song, Rachel smiled.

"You, of course."

"Then we should practice, don't you think?"

"So we can dazzle them with how well we sound together. They'll  _have_  to cast us both."

Jesse laughed as he nodded in agreement.

"Absolutely."

Rachel pressed a kiss to Jesse's cheek before she began to sing the opening notes of the song.

_Something has changed within me_

_Something is not the same_

_I'm through with playing by the rules_

_Of someone else's game_

_Too late for second-guessing_

_Too late to go back to sleep_

_It's time to trust my instincts_

_Close my eyes: and leap…_

* * *

In the kitchen, Hiram and Leroy raised their heads as they heard their daughter's voice float down the hall to them.

"She sounds better than ever," Leroy commented.

Shelby smiled and nodded.

"We've been working together on improving her voice. She's been very dedicated about it. She's always had a wonderful voice, but she felt like she could be better."

"That sounds like Rachel," Hiram said from his spot near the stove.

"Is that Jesse playing the piano?" Leroy asked.

"Yes. He's been playing since he was little. He's known for a long time that he wanted to be in musical theater. His parents offered to pay for any classes in the arts that he wanted. His cousin is also into musical theater, so they bonded over that and became the best of friends. Then he met Rachel, and once he realized she shared the same passion that he did…" Shelby started.

"They became inseparable," Hiram finished.

"She was worried you wouldn't like Jesse."

"I'll admit that the idea of my little girl finding the love of her life at fifteen is a bit more than I was prepared for when we agreed to let her live here for the summer, but neither Hiram nor I have ever been able to deny Rachel something when it makes her as happy as Jesse clearly does."

"We look forward to getting to know him more," Hiram added, putting an omelette on one of the plates Shelby had set out.

The three adults continued their conversation while they finished preparing breakfast, enjoying the many songs Rachel and Jesse cycled through.

"I'd say that's pretty much all of the songs from  _Wicked_ ," Hiram said, placing the last omelette on a plate.

"Oh it is," Shelby agreed, taking the plates to the table. "I'll go get them."

Before she could step away from the table, Shelby heard the now very familiar opening notes of  _Hello_. Every time they sang together, at least at home, they sang that song.

"What song is this? It sounds familiar, but I can't place it," Leroy inquired as he set a pitcher of orange juice on the table.

" _Hello_  by Lionel Richie. It's their song," Shelby answered.

"They have a song already?" Hiram asked, sounding only slightly surprised.

"Yes. It was the first song they performed together. They sang along to the musicals during their musical nights as well, but it's not the same."

"This was during Rachel's first Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal, correct?" Leroy asked.

Shelby nodded.

"Yes. The one where Rachel made her decision to transfer to Carmel and join Vocal Adrenaline. She didn't stop smiling for days afterwards, even when Jesse teased her about it."

"She's had her talent mocked and misunderstood for so long, I'm not surprised," Hiram said, placing glasses on the table.

Shelby waited until she heard the last part of the song before heading down the hall to get the two teens.

* * *

Rachel and Jesse had just finished singing what they considered to be  _their_  song when they saw Shelby walk into the room.

"Breakfast is ready," she said.

"We'll be right there," Rachel assured her.

"Two minutes, and then I'm coming back," Shelby agreed, turning to walk back to the kitchen.

"You okay?" Jesse asked.

"Just nervous," Rachel answered with a sigh, well aware she couldn't hide her emotions from Jesse…even if she wanted to.

"Nervous about…what? Breakfast with your parents? Rach, you have nothing to worry about. If they didn't like me, I'm sure they would have made it known by now to at least your mom. I didn't see anything in her eyes, or give me a look that would have told me, that made me think they didn't like me. I'm sure they're a bit apprehensive, you are  _always_  going to be their little girl to them, but you're clearly happy and I'm sure they can see that."

"I'm just being stupid," Rachel muttered, getting up from the piano bench.

"Hey," Jesse said softly, pulling her into his arms. "You are  _not_  being  _stupid_. I usually don't get nervous, but I will confess that I'm a bit nervous about you meeting Blaine tomorrow."

"Why?" Rachel wondered.

"Blaine's not only my cousin, he's my best friend, and you're the love of my life. I want you the two of you to get along at least. If you two became friends, that would be great, but I won't pressure either of you to do that. Honestly, I'd like to get to know your dads better too. See if I can figure out where you get some of your traits from," Jesse confessed.

Rachel nodded in understanding before she tipped her face up for a kiss. Jesse obliged, giving her a soft kiss before taking her hand and leading her down the hall to the kitchen.

* * *

After breakfast, Jesse helped Rachel's dads bring in the rest of her things. As he was reaching for the last box, he felt a hand on his arm and turned his head to see that Leroy clearly wanted his attention. Releasing his grip on the box, Jesse turned to face the older man.

"I know we asked you a lot of questions over breakfast, but I'm hoping you'll let me ask you one more."

Jesse nodded.

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Letting Rachel live with her mother is something we thought a lot about, especially since we knew Carmel would definitely be a better place for her. Before Shelby offered, we were actually considering talking to Rachel about it ourselves. I know you're a senior this year, and I'm not sure what your college plans are, but if you plan on just dating Rachel for the remainder of your time here, and then promptly forgetting about her when you leave, I don't want you anywhere near her."

"That's not my intention at all," Jesse assured Leroy. "I love Rachel. She's the love of my life, and I intend to spend the rest of my life with her. I'm well aware of the fact that she and I just met a few weeks ago, and just started officially dating a couple of days ago. I knew from the moment I met her that she was special, though. Besides, if Shelby thought that I was even  _thinking_  about doing something cruel like that to Rachel, she'd kick my ass in a heartbeat. She may treat me like family, but Rachel really  _is_  her family. Her biological child. There's nothing Shelby wouldn't do for her."

Leroy smiled.

"Oh, we're well aware of the way Shelby treats Rachel. If we thought she would treat Rachel cruelly in any way, Rachel wouldn't be here right now. While Hiram and I  _could_ move to Akron ourselves, we quite like Lima and there are a lot of childhood memories there for Rachel."

"Thank you for letting her stay, and in a way, for letting me stay as well," Jesse said, grabbing the box once more.

Leroy nodded, following Jesse into the house.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Rachel asked as Jesse walked into her room.

Jesse chuckled.

"You keep asking me that. Everything is  _fine_ , Rach, so stop worrying. Your Dad was just making sure my intentions toward you were sincere."

"I wish he wouldn't do that. He already asked you the most questions over breakfast."

"He's just worried."

"I know, but it's annoying sometimes," Rachel said with a sigh, lying on her back on her bed.

Jesse moved to lie next to her, playing with her hair while he spoke.

"You have three parents who love you very much. I have none. I would  _love_  to have my parents be concerned about me."

Rachel reached up and ran her hand through Jesse's curls.

"I know it hurts that your parents basically don't care, but you also have the family that  _you_  made. Every one of those people love you and care about you very much."

Jesse pressed a kiss to the palm of Rachel's hand before he spoke again.

"I just wish  _someone_  in my biological family cared. I know technically that could include Blaine, and my aunt and uncle, but that's not quite what I meant."

"Jess, what happened with your sister?"

Jesse sighed before he answered.

"She literally walked out the door and never looked back. It'll be six years this spring when I graduate. You know the rest. Although, I have a feeling she won't be leaving anytime soon and her dream wedding isn't the only reason she came back."

"Maybe she really  _is_  sorry. I don't know much about your family, but she's your sister, Jess. I get that you don't want to live with her, and if I were in your situation, I'd feel the same way."

"You think I should give her another chance," Jesse concluded, not even having to ask.

Rachel nodded.

"Ultimately, that's up to you though. I just want you to think about it. You both need time to calm down. I don't agree with the way she just assumed you'd let her right back into your life, but I can understand where she's coming from."

"Of course you can," Jesse said with a smile. "You're very sympathetic; you can see the good in any situation. It's one of the many things I love about you. I'd like to stop talking about my sister, though."

Understanding Jesse's unspoken promise that he  _would_  think about giving his sister the benefit of the doubt, or at least actually  _talk with_  her instead of  _yelling at_  her, Rachel turned the conversation to a lighter subject.

"Your birthday is on Friday, what do you want to do?"

"I was thinking we could just do something here, maybe postpone our musical marathon a night, or have another one on Friday with more people."

"I'm in favor of  _two_  musical nights," Rachel said with a grin.

"Of course you are," Jesse said with a chuckle. "I have one condition though."

"What's that?"

Jesse leaned closer to Rachel before he spoke, a smirk playing on his lips.

" _I_  get to pick  _all_  of the movies for Friday night's musical marathon."

"Give me a kiss and you have a deal," Rachel said, still grinning.

Jesse leaned over and brushed his lips with hers.

"I love you, Rach."

"I love you, too, Jess," Rachel returned. "I think we should do musical marathons in celebration of our birthdays every year."

"Sounds like a plan."

Before they could continue their conversation, both Rachel and Jesse were startled by a knock on her door. It was Hiram who stuck his head into the room this time and he looked at Rachel as he spoke.

"Your Dad and I were hoping to spend some time alone with you at some point today, Rachel. We know you'll be pretty busy the rest of the week, and Shelby informed us that Friday is Jesse's birthday, so I'm sure you'll be planning something for that…" He started.

Rachel turned to her boyfriend, who smiled and nodded at her.

"You've been looking forward to your dads being here for a while now. Go, have fun. Besides, I have some unpacking of my own to do yet…and I need time to think of musicals for Friday."

"I need a list, so I don't pick the same for Thursday," Rachel added before she turned to her father. "I'll be down in like five minutes, Daddy. I just need to brush my teeth."

"Sounds good, sweetie. Thank you for understanding, Jesse."

Jesse nodded as Hiram left the room. Rachel stole a quick kiss from her boyfriend before she made her way into her bathroom.

* * *

When Rachel arrived downstairs within the five minutes she promised her fathers, she smiled when she saw her them exchange a look with each other while talking, much the same way she and Jesse did.

"Dad, Daddy, I'm ready to go," She said, making her presence known.

"Your Mom had to run a few errands, but she said to tell you she'll see you later tonight," Hiram said as he, Leroy, and Rachel made their way outside.

"What's Jesse doing?" Leroy asked.

"Unpacking for right now. I'm sure he'll make his way down to the music room before too long. He said something about maybe meeting up with Blaine, too."

"That's his cousin, right?" Hiram asked as everyone settled in the car.

Rachel nodded.

"They're best friends, too. Blaine is transferring to Carmel as well; he's trying out for Vocal Adrenaline tomorrow. Mom said she and Jesse are already well aware he can sing, and sing well, but the other members of the team aren't."

"Why is Blaine transferring?" Leroy wondered.

"Jesse said something about Blaine being bullied at his old school because he's gay," Rachel answered.

"That's too bad, but hopefully Blaine will like Vocal Adrenaline just as much as you do."

"I have a feeling he will. While we're out, can we stop by the mall so I can pick up a birthday present for Jesse?"

"Sure, sweetie. Why don't you fill us in on your new team. You mom has told us bits and pieces, but we want your perspective," Hiram answered as Leroy drove the car smoothly down the street.

Rachel smiled and nodded before she began to fill her fathers in on everything about Vocal Adrenaline, as well as her tour of Carmel with Ms. Pillsbury-Howell.

* * *

After he finished unpacking, Jesse took out his cell phone and called his best friend/cousin.

"Hey stranger, long time no talk," Blaine greeted.

"Sorry, it's been kind of crazy the last few days," Jesse said with a laugh.

"I know. My parents filled me in. How's the girlfriend?"

"Rachel's great. She's off spending the day with her dads right now, and Shelby is off running errands, so I've got the place to myself."

"Nice. Does Shelby seriously have a room dedicated entirely to all things music?"

Jesse chuckled.

"Yes, she does. Where did you hear that?"

"My mom. She called Shelby yesterday, asked her like a million questions."

"That sounds like her."

"Did you tell Rachel that you love her yet?"

"I did."

"And?"

Jesse chuckled again before he filled his cousin in.

"She loves me, too."

"You know, this whole true love business is a lot harder when your soul mate  _isn't_  a female," Blaine said with a dramatic sigh.

"Maybe Rachel's best friend will be the love of  _your_  life," Jesse joked.

"Unless that best friend is both a male and gay, I highly doubt that."

"He's both actually."

" _If_  and  _when_  I meet said best friend of Rachel's,  _I'll_  be the one making that decision, thank you."

"He doesn't go to Carmel, and she hasn't mentioned him or her other friends visiting her here anytime soon, so don't sweat it."

"You know, the last time I trusted you when you told me that, I ended up flat on my ass on the floor because of a dance routine that  _you_  choreographed, that you were  _positive_  I could pull off no problem."

Jesse laughed as he remembered the particular routine Blaine was referring to.

"Well considering your coordination has greatly improved since then, I'm sure you'll be fine. Just don't fall during your audition."

"Very funny, Jesse. Just because your coach likes my singing doesn't mean I'm automatically in."

"You're one of the most charismatic performers I know. Even if you  _couldn't_  sing that well, which we both know  _isn't_  true; your performance ability would more than make up for it. Look, if you're really that nervous, I doubt Shelby would care if you came over. You can see the music room and I'll give you feedback on your audition piece, though I doubt you need it."

"I'm  _not_  nervous. Members of the St. James family, even those who don't carry the name,  _don't_  get nervous."

Jesse smirked.

"Do members of the Anderson family get nervous?"

"Don't ask that question," came Blaine's almost immediate response.

"Just get over here. I want your opinion on something I've been working on anyway."

"An original something or a competition something?" Blaine asked curiously, well aware that Jesse had been working on an original song for quite a while.

"Original," Jesse answered.

"This should be good," Blaine said before he hung up.

Jesse stuck his phone back into his pocket as he grabbed the folder containing his music and a pencil before making his way downstairs to the music room. He wanted to share the piece with Rachel as well, but since he wasn't overly thrilled with it yet himself, he was admittedly a bit uncharacteristically self-conscious about it. Blaine had overheard him playing around with the notes and lyrics one day, which was the only reason he knew about it. Deciding to run through it once by himself, Jesse placed the music in its appropriate spot on the piano before beginning to play.

* * *

 **A/N:**  To those wondering, I don't plan on writing an original song of my own for Jesse to use, but I do have a song in mind that I think would fit what Jesse has been through.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:**  So instead of working on my term paper for my class...I wrote this. :) Also, a big thank you to  ** _northstar61_** for basically helping me make a decision about something that gets hinted at later in the chapter :) I hope you all enjoy and don't forget to review :)

The book that Rachel gets Jesse for his birthday actually wasn't published (or the edition mentioned wasn't) until after this story technically takes place, but since this is fanfiction...and it's my story, we're all going to pretend that it was actually published  _before_  this story takes place :)

For those of you who may have gotten two alerts that I updated, I really only have one new chapter (this one), but I think something went wrong when I uploaded this the first time, so I re-uploaded it.

 **Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, Finn would cease to exist and St. Berry would live happily ever after :) I also don't own either of the songs used in this chapter.

* * *

Jesse had just finished his private run-through of his song when he heard the doorbell ring. Assuming it was Blaine; he made his way down the hall and immediately opened the door.

"You  _are_  still alive," Blaine joked once Jesse had opened the door.

Jesse raised an eyebrow at his cousin.

"You're in a good mood," he observed, moving so Blaine could enter the house.

"You saved me," Blaine answered as Jesse shut the door.

"And people call  _me_  dramatic," Jesse said with a laugh. "How did I  _save_  you?"

"By giving me an excuse to get out of the house. I love my parents to death, but they can be so  _boring_."

Jesse chuckled.

"Uh huh, sure. You just wanted to see if I was lying about Rachel not being here so you could meet her a day early."

Blaine shot his cousin a look.

"That's creepy."

Jesse shrugged.

"Not creepy. True. Should I be worried that you're so interested in my  _girl_ friend?"

"No. I want to get to know her, sure, but I'm not interested in her  _that_  way," Blaine said with a laugh.

"Good. She's mine and I have no intention of letting her go. Ever."

"I figured as much when you confessed that if you gave her your heart, which I'm going to assume you already did, that she'd become your world."

"Well, if you're still here when she gets back from wherever she went with her dads, you can meet her then. If not, you can meet her tomorrow," Jesse said as he and Blaine walked into the music room.

"So you're finally going to let me listen to this song?" Blaine asked, pointing to the sheet music on the piano.

Jesse took his seat at the piano and nodded.

"Why is that so shocking?"

"Maybe because you've been so secretive with it that it took you  _forever_  to even let me see the  _lyrics_  to the song…and I'm sure those have been edited by now."

Ignoring his cousin's dig, Jesse simply looked at him.

"Do you want to hear the song or not?"

Blaine made a go-ahead motion with his hands, waiting as patiently as he could for Jesse to begin, knowing this would be one of the few things to make his cousin nervous. The piano solo at the beginning told him it would be a slower, sadder song. Before he could think much more about the introduction to the song, he heard Jesse begin to sing.

_Under your spell again. I can't say no to you._

_Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand. I can't say no to you._

_Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly._

_Now I can't let go of this dream._   _I can't breathe but I feel..._

 _Good enough,_   _I feel good enough for you._

_Drink up sweet decadence._

_I can't say no to you,_   _And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind._   _I can't say no to you._

 _Shouldn't let you conquer me completely._   _Now I can't let go of this dream._   _Can't believe that I feel..._

 _Good enough,_   _I feel good enough._   _It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good._

 _And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall._   _Pour real life down on me._

 _'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough._   _Am I good enough for you to love me too?_

 _So take care what you ask of me,_   _'cause I can't say no..._

When Jesse finished, he was surprised to find that Blaine was applauding him.

"I think it's great, but it sounds like something someone would sing to a lover who they felt they weren't good enough for. I'm going to take a guess and say your parents are the inspiration for this one, though," he said.

"That's the point. I guess you could also say that no one really made me feel  _good enough_  until Rachel came along. You, Shelby, your parents, you're all great…but it's not the same."

Blaine nodded.

"I get it. You always said you thought you were pretty much destined for a life alone…at least you didn't think you'd ever find someone to share your life with. I know that feeling all too well."

"You'll find someone. If I can, you most certainly can," Jesse insisted, standing up to leave the room.

Blaine shook his head as he followed Jesse out of the room. He was beginning to wonder just  _how much_  Rachel and Jesse were alike. She had to be pretty similar to him interest-wise or he wouldn't have felt so strongly for her so soon. Considering she was also Shelby's daughter, he had no doubt that she was basically the female version of his cousin.

* * *

"So do you have a certain gift in mind for Jesse?" Leroy asked his daughter as they walked around the mall.

Rachel sighed as she shook her head.

"No. I have no idea what to get him, actually. I've tried asking him what he wants, but he just keeps telling me that he already has everything he could possibly want. While that's sweet, it's not helpful."

Hiram chuckled.

"Well, there's a music store up ahead, maybe something will jump out at you."

"I hope so. Today's the only day I'll have time to get anything."

As the trio entered the store, they noticed that it was much bigger than the storefront made them believe it was. Rachel stood near the entrance for a minute so she could look around the store. Understanding their daughter's method of picking a present for someone, Hiram and Leroy waited patiently nearby. When they saw her take off towards the back of the store, they knew she'd figured out what to get Jesse.

"What's that?" Hiram asked as he and Leroy caught up with their daughter, who was now holding a book.

"The ultimate musical theater book," Rachel said enthusiastically, " _Broadway Musicals, Revised and Updated: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time_. Jesse and I found out about it when we were looking up suggestions for musicals to add to the collection in the music room at Mom's."

"Do you want to leave or do you want to stay and look around a bit?"

"I'd like to look around. You and Dad can go look wherever; you don't have to follow me. I'll meet you in…about a half an hour?"

Hiram and Leroy nodded before they each pressed a kiss to their daughter's head and walked in the opposite direction, towards the section with the CDs and DVDs. Still clutching the book tightly, Rachel made her way over to the section that contained all of the sheet music.

* * *

A half an hour later, as Rachel was walking towards her fathers, having spotted them in the same place she had seem them go earlier-across the store from where she was, when she literally ran right into someone. She turned to apologize when she realized she actually  _knew_  this person.

"Oh my God, Kurt, I'm so sorry," Rachel said upon recognizing her best friend.

Kurt laughed as he hugged her.

"Nothing I haven't been through before. I heard you're not coming back to McKinley."

"I meant to call; I've just been so busy, I'm sorry. I'm transferring to Carmel, I joined Vocal Adrenaline. I'm their female lead."

"I'm happy for you. I wish I could escape that hell hole myself, but my dad can't afford a fancy private school."

"Too bad Carmel is so far away," Rachel lamented.

"I know," Kurt agreed, "but I'll survive. Having Puck and Satan for friends helps some."

Rachel giggled at Kurt's name for Puck's girlfriend.

"Does Santana know you refer to her as Satan?"

Kurt laughed as he nodded.

"Yes. Puck started it, actually. She's embraced it."

"That sounds like her. I miss you guys so much. My mom and Jesse are great, so are Vocal Adrenaline, but I've known the three of you for a long time."

"Jesse?" Kurt asked.

Rachel took out her phone and showed Kurt a picture.

"My boyfriend," she told him.

"Damn. A boy, a new school,  _and_  a new show choir all in one summer? I'm jealous."

Rachel laughed.

"I know, right? How long are you in town for?"

"Just a few days. We're visiting my Aunt Melinda. Her house is absolutely amazing. I have no idea what they pay teachers at Carmel, but it must be  _way_  more than McKinley. Of course, it probably helps that my Uncle Dean is a doctor."

"Um, probably. Though my mom's house is really nice, too. I know she saved for quite a while for it, though. Plus she teaches music on top of coaching show choir."

"Think she could convince my dad to let me stay with my aunt and uncle so I could go to Carmel?" Kurt asked jokingly.

"She probably could," Rachel said seriously.

"Rachel, no…" Kurt started, well aware of the wheels already turning in his best friend's head.

"Well you said your aunt teaches at Carmel. So I'm sure she already knows my mom…"

"I'd feel bad leaving my dad, though. It's just the two of us. I really can't do that to him."

"Would he consider moving his shop to Akron? It's not like he wouldn't have an increase in business…"

Kurt thought for a moment.

"Maybe. I could bring it up, I guess. If my dad  _does_  go for this, then what?"

"Have him call my mom. I'll give you our home number, though I'm sure your aunt has both that number and her cell too."

"Okay. This is me trying not to get my hopes up. I heard they fired Mr. Ryerson, and they're looking for a new show choir coach at McKinley…so even if he doesn't go for it, I maybe stand a chance of not being bullied for at least  _part_  of the day," Kurt said quickly.

"I miss having you around. I see my dads giving me the let's-get-going signal, though, so I better go. Let me know how the talk with your dad goes," Rachel said as she hugged Kurt goodbye.

Kurt returned the hug and thanked Rachel for her help before he watched her walk towards her dads, and then towards the register to pay for whatever she'd been holding. Too excited about the prospect of escaping his constant torture, Kurt quickly purchased the music he'd been holding before leaving the mall and making his way back to his aunt's house.

* * *

"Was that Kurt?" Leroy asked as he, Rachel, and Hiram left the mall.

"Yes. I literally ran right into him. He's in town visiting his aunt, who I guess teaches at Carmel. I'll have to ask Mom about her when we get back."

"You two seemed pretty deep in conversation," Hiram noted as they climbed into the car once more.

"I haven't talked to him much since I joined Vocal Adrenaline and got closer to Jesse. He said he heard that I wasn't coming back to McKinley and said he wished he didn't have to either."

"Did you suggest Carmel?" Leroy asked as he steered the car out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"I did," Rachel confirmed. "He has an aunt and uncle here, but he said he didn't want to leave his dad, since it's just the two of them."

"Burt owns his own business, I'm sure he could find plenty of business here in Akron," Hiram suggested.

"I suggested that too," Rachel revealed. "I gave him Mom's home number, told him to have his dad call her if he has any questions about Carmel, or Vocal Adrenaline."

Enjoying the easy conversation with her fathers, Rachel relaxed in the back of the car as they drove back to Shelby's. She knew she'd miss them terribly when they went back to Lima, but she was happy here in Akron. She also knew that she'd be downright miserable and unbearable to be around if they forced her to go back to Lima.

* * *

After returning home from her errands, and successfully hiding Jesse's birthday present that she'd picked up while she was out, Shelby made her way back downstairs. She found Jesse and Blaine in the kitchen; talking and laughing while they ate take out.

"Don't ruin your appetite," she told Jesse. "Hiram offered to cook dinner as well."

Before any of the three people in the room could say anything else, they heard the door open and voices float down the hall. Two male, one female.

"Rachel's home," Jesse said.

"So I actually get to meet the famous Rachel today?" Blaine teased.

"Looks that way," Shelby answered just as her daughter made her appearance in the kitchen.

"Hi, Mom," she greeted before walking over to Jesse and taking the seat beside him.

Jesse tilted the carton of food he was holding towards her. Peering at the contents, she made a face and shook her head. Jesse laughed and shrugged.

"More for me, then," he said.

"Jesse," Shelby said, her tone implying what she wasn't saying. Don't be rude.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "Rach, this is my cousin, and my best friend, Blaine Anderson. Blaine, this is my girlfriend, and the love of my life, Rachel Berry."

Rachel turned her attention to the boy sitting across from Jesse. He had curly hair, like Jesse, but his was darker and he wore more gel in his hair than Jesse did. He was also a bit shorter, and his eyes were a different color, but she could see the family resemblance.

"It's nice to meet you," she said with a smile.

"I've heard a lot about you," Blaine returned.

"Are you ready for your audition tomorrow?"

"A little nervous, but yes. My old school, Jefferson, sounds a lot like the one you used to go. McKinley, right?"

Rachel nodded.

"Jesse refers to it as Hell, but yes. Though that reference is kind of funny now."

"Why is that?" Jesse asked.

"I ran into Kurt at the music store. Literally. He was telling me about how he wasn't looking forward to going back to McKinley, but at least he has Noah, who almost everyone refers to as Puck, and Santana as friends. Santana is Noah's girlfriend; we've all been friends for a while. Anyway, Kurt referred to her as Satan…"

Jesse snickered.

"Does Satan rule Hell?"

Rachel giggled, rolling her eyes good-naturedly at Jesse's question.

"Just about. She and Noah are part of the popular crowd. Santana is a cheerleader, and Noah plays football."

"I'm a little lost. Who's Kurt?" Blaine said from across the table, effectively steering the conversation back in it's original direction.

"Sorry," Rachel said with a laugh. "Kurt is my best friend from Lima. He, Noah, Santana, and I have all known each other for years, but Kurt and I are closest to each other."

Blaine nodded in understanding. He remembered Jesse telling him a little bit about Rachel's best friend, but he didn't know the boy's name until now.

"Did you suggest that Kurt transfer to Carmel?" Jesse asked.

"I did. He said his aunt teachers there, so it could be a possibility."

"I don't mean to intrude," Shelby said from near the center island, where she had been observing the three teens, "but what is Kurt's aunt's name?"

"Melinda. I don't know her last name, though," Rachel answered.

"Melinda Burns. She teaches history," Shelby confirmed.

"What was Kurt doing in Akron?" Jesse wondered.

"He and his dad are visiting his aunt and uncle for a few days. I gave him the home number in case Burt, that's his dad, has any questions that Melinda can't answer," Rachel continued.

As if on cue, the phone on the counter across from where Shelby was standing rang. Glancing at the caller ID, Shelby laughed.

"I'm guessing this is Burt calling from Melinda's," she said as she answered the phone and walked out of the room.

"That was fast," Jesse commented.

"Kurt seemed really excited about it, so I'm sure he went right back to his aunt's and talked to his dad," Rachel said.

"If he's anywhere near as excited as I was about the possibility of transferring, I don't blame him," Blaine added from his seat across the table.

"Oh! Before I forget, I don't know if Jesse mentioned it to you or not, but we're having a musical marathon for his birthday on Friday. You should be there."

"A musical marathon?" Blaine asked, unsure he heard her correctly.

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"We have them every week. This week we're having two…and Jesse gets to pick all of the movies for Friday."

Blaine smiled at Rachel, his smile turning into a grin when she smiled back at him.

"Count me in. Any way I could be invited to the weekly ones? My parents can only handle so many musicals before they get bored…or annoyed."

"Why annoyed?" Rachel asked.

"I sing along to the songs sometimes. I can't help it," Blaine confessed.

"I told you that you weren't the only one to do that," Jesse commented.

"Well I figured you did it too, since you joined in with me, but I had no idea anyone else did," Rachel said.

"Your mom doesn't mind?" Blaine asked.

Rachel shook her head.

"I think she gets a kick out of it, actually. Besides, every time we watch a musical together, I see her mouthing the words to the song."

Jesse laughed.

"I never knew she did that."

"Don't tell her I told you," Rachel commanded her boyfriend.

"Or what?" Jesse challenged.

Rachel smiled innocently.

"Or you have to sleep in  _your own_  bed, and I won't let you kiss me."

Blaine bit his lip to keep from laughing. Rachel was definitely a good match for Jesse, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Life with these two would definitely never be boring. He watched in amusement as Jesse whispered something to Rachel that he couldn't hear, which caused Rachel to laugh. Seeing as she let Jesse kiss her, he assumed they had come to some sort of agreement. He was only slightly surprised when Rachel stood up a few moments later, grabbing first Jesse's hand, and then his, as she led them down the hall towards the music room.

* * *

"You want to sing?" Blaine asked as Rachel practically dragged both he and Jesse into the room.

Rachel nodded before turning to the younger boy.

"Do you play any instruments?"

"Piano, some guitar and drums," he answered.

"Sing something for us," Rachel said, "You can use it as a sort of pre-audition…since  _I_  haven't heard you sing yet."

"Who's picking the song?"

"You pick," Rachel answered as Jesse slid his arms around her waist from behind her.

Blaine nodded and took a seat the piano. As he began to play, Rachel smiled as she recognized the song. Her smile grew when she heard Blaine begin to sing.

_I walked across an empty land I knew the pathway like the back of my hand I felt the earth beneath my feet_

_Sat by the river and it made me complete_

When Jesse joined his voice with Blaine's, Rachel couldn't help the grin that formed on her face. It was obvious the two had sung together many times before, and they blended beautifully. Enjoying the song, Rachel leaned back in Jesse's arms, content to let him hold her while he and Blaine took turns singing.

_Oh simple thing, where have you gone?_

_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on_

_So tell me when you're gonna let me in_

_I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin…_

When the song was over, Rachel clapped enthusiastically for Blaine and then titled her face up for a kiss from Jesse.

"I should get going, I heard your mom say something about dinner with your dads…" Blaine started.

"Will you come back?" Rachel asked.

Blaine gave her a confused look.

"Come back when?"

"Anytime. I know Jesse likes having you around, and I'd like to get to know you some more since not only are you an important part of Jesse's life, but because I like you."

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow morning for my audition and Friday night for sure," Blaine answered.

"Great! I'm going to check on dinner. See you tomorrow," Rachel said, quickly hugging Blaine before practically running down the hall towards the kitchen.

"So now that you've  _finally_  met Rachel, what do you think?" Jesse asked as he and Blaine walked towards the front door.

"She's perfect for you. She's very…enthusiastic about things. Plus, it's clear that she loves you," Blaine said as he opened the door.

"The feeling's mutual, trust me."

Blaine smiled at his cousin.

"Good. I'm sure she's waiting for you, so I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Do you need a ride?"

"I don't think so, but I'll text you and let you know," Blaine answered as he walked out the door.

"Okay, sounds good," Jesse said before he shut the door and turned to walk back towards the kitchen, where he could hear Rachel, Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy talking.

* * *

 **A/N:**  So...the song that according to my story Jesse wrote is actually by a band named Evanescence and the name of the song is  _Good Enough_. If you want to listen to the original, just type in Evanescence Good Enough into a youtube search and it'll come up. They have lots of other good songs too, if you like what you hear :)

For those of you who didn't recognize Blaine's song either, it's  _Somewhere Only We Know_  by Keane.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:**  Once again, a big thank you to everyone who has not only reviewed this story, but added it to their favorites and/or their story alerts as well as those who have added me to their favorite authors and/or author alerts. I would love to hear from more of you readers as well. Are there things you'd like to see or wondering if I'll put into the story? Review and let me know or ask me and I'll let you know the answer when I reply to your review :) Lots of St. Berry moments, and a dash of Klaine, so I hope you all enjoy! :)

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee. If I did, it would probably go something like my story :) I don't own either of the songs used in this chapter either.

* * *

After dinner with Jesse and her parents, and finishing her nightly routine, Rachel wandered into her boyfriend's room, since he wasn't in hers like he usually was. She had to smile when she found him asleep on his bed. Taking a blanket from the end of the bed, she covered him up and was about to walk over to turn off his lamp when she felt him grab her hand, making her jump.

"Jesse Jonathan St. James, don't  _do_  that," Rachel mock-scolded, holding her other hand over her now rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry," Jesse mumbled, eyes still closed. "Stay with me."

"You need to let go of my hand first."

When Jesse did as she'd suggested, Rachel turned off his lamp and then made her way back to the bed. Once she felt Jesse's arms around her, Rachel settled her head on his shoulder, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"Jess, wake up," Rachel said, nudging her boyfriend's shoulder as she heard his alarm sound.

"But it's so much more comfortable to lie here with you," Jesse countered.

"I'll push you out of bed if I have to."

Jesse opened his eyes, narrowed them at his girlfriend.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me," She challenged.

"You are aware that I'm holding you, right? So if you push me, and I fall, you're going with me."

Rachel smiled sweetly.

"You wouldn't let me fall. You'd never let anything bad happen to me, remember?"

Jesse chuckled, switching their positions so that  _he_  had  _her_ pinned to the bed.

"Oh, I remember. I also remember that  _you_ , my love, are  _trouble_. What was it you threatened me with yesterday? Having to sleep in my own bed by myself?"

"Idle threats, I assure you," Rachel responded, wrapping her arms around Jesse's neck and adopting her most innocent look.

"I think you should make it up to me," he suggested. "It's not very nice to threaten the one you love, you know. Bad karma and all that."

Rachel laughed, enjoying the banter.

"Mm. Wouldn't want that, now would we? How can I make it up to you?"

"Like this," Jesse answered before leaning down to claim her lips with his, feeling Rachel's arms tighten around his neck as she returned his kiss.

After they ended the kiss, Jesse reluctantly pulled away.

"We need to get ready, or we'll be late."

Rachel sighed as she sat up.

"I know. I'll meet you in my room in about 20 minutes?"

Jesse leaned over to brush his lips with Rachel's once more.

"Sounds good. I love you, Rach."

"I love you, too, Jess," Rachel returned before walking across the hall to her own room.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Rachel walked out of her bathroom to find that Jesse was now sitting on her bed, waiting for her. Smiling, she walked over to him and kissed him quickly.

"Blaine is meeting us here. My aunt's car is in the shop, so he's out a car for a couple of days," Jesse told her as she grabbed her bag and followed him downstairs.

"Poor Blaine. Is he excited or nervous about today?"

"I think both. I would guess more nervous than excited, but I'll tell you for sure once I see him."

When Rachel and Jesse walked into the kitchen, neither were surprised to see Shelby already there.

"Morning," Rachel greeted, grabbing some fruit and the glass of lemon water her mother handed her.

"Morning," Shelby returned with a smile. "We have two auditions today, so rehearsals might run a bit longer so we can fit everything in."

"Two?" Rachel asked as Jesse took a seat next to her.

Shelby nodded.

"Both Blaine and your friend Kurt are auditioning today."

"That explains the nervous texts," Rachel admitted.

"Nervous texts?" Jesse asked.

"Kurt's very…excitable. Plus, it sounds like he really wants this. I know he already has his hopes up that if everything goes well and he gets in, that his dad will let him stay," Rachel explained.

"He seemed a bit relieved to know that you'd be in the audience," Shelby told her daughter.

"I would be too, if I were in Kurt's place. I had Jesse when I auditioned, even though I guess mine wasn't very traditional."

Before any of the three occupants of the room could say anything else, the doorbell rang.

"That's probably Blaine," Jesse said, getting up to go answer the door.

"Blaine?" Shelby asked as Jesse left the room.

"Jesse said his aunt's car broke down, so it's in the shop, which means he is out a car for a couple of days. I have no idea why he's meeting us here, but that's just what Jesse told him this morning," Rachel answered.

Shelby nodded in understanding.

"Janelle doesn't work far from Carmel so dropping him off here would kind of be on her way."

"I invited Blaine to Jesse's birthday musical marathon."

"I'm sure he'll enjoy them as much as you and Jesse do," Shelby told her before she glanced at her watch and realized she neded to get going. "Do you need anything before I leave?"

Rachel though for a moment before she shook her head.

"No. Will you be in the auditorium?"

"Yes. I'll see you there."

* * *

Once Shelby left the room, Rachel found herself alone in the kitchen. Finished with her breakfast, she decided to see what was taking Jesse and Blaine so long. When she got close to the entryway, she could hear Jesse's voice, as well as Blaine's and another one she didn't recognize.

"Jesse?" Rachel asked as she walked into the entryway.

Jesse turned at the sound of her voice and took her hand, pulling her to his side.

"Rachel, this is Blaine's mom, my Aunt Janelle. Aunt Janelle, this is my girlfriend, Rachel," Jesse said, introducing the two.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Rachel said with a smile.

"I should be the one saying that," Janelle said with a laugh, "It's about time Jesse met his match. From what Blaine has told me, he most certainly has."

"He's my match, too," Rachel said, leaning into Jesse's embrace.

"I can see that," Janelle said with a smile. "You and Jesse should come over for dinner sometime, maybe on one of your weekends off?"

"I'd like that, thank you," Rachel answered.

"Is your mom still around? I wanted to talk to her."

Rachel shrugged.

"I'm not sure. You could try and catch her in the garage, she said she was going to head over to school now."

"I'll do that. It was nice meeting you, Rachel. Be good, Jesse. I'll pick you up at 6, Blaine, and then we're meeting your dad for supper," Janelle said before she made her way back outside and towards the garage.

"You have your mom's eyes," Rachel said to Blaine.

Blaine smiled and nodded.

"Mom says I look like Dad, but with her eyes. She also says she has no idea where I got my singing talent from, because both she and my dad are rather tone deaf."

"I think it skips a generation," Jesse added. "Neither one of my parents can sing…I don't think. I've never heard either of them do so anyway."

The three teens talked for a little while longer before making their way to Jesse's Rover.

* * *

About a half an hour later, Rachel, Jesse, and Blaine walked into Carmel's auditorium to see that Shelby was already there, as was Kurt.

"Kurt!" Rachel exclaimed, letting go of Jesse's hand to hug her best friend.

"I'm acting calm, but I'm actually nervous. I'm using my acting techniques to help me," Kurt said as he returned the hug.

"I know. I got your texts. You'll be great," Rachel assured him. "Now, I want you to meet Jesse's best friend."

Willing to do anything to take his mind off of the audition, Kurt let Rachel lead him over to where he saw Jesse and another boy, whom he figured was Blaine, talking.

"Blaine, this is my best friend, Kurt Hummel. Kurt, this is Jesse's best friend, Blaine Anderson."

"Nice to meet you," Kurt said with a smile.

"Likewise. Jesse said Rachel talks about you a lot, that you've known each other a long time," Blaine answered with a smile of his own.

"Yes, since we were little. She, Puck, Satan, and I have all been friends since we were little."

"I still can't believe she lets you call her that," Rachel said.

Kurt grinned at her.

"She's embracing it."

Rachel rolled her eyes indulgently.

"I'm sure she is."

As the foursome continued their conversation, the other members of Vocal Adrenaline entered the auditorium and took their seats near the stage. What seemed like only a few minutes later, Shelby walked up to them.

"We need to get started, since I didn't plan on two auditions today and I don't want to fall behind," she said.

"Sorry," Kurt muttered.

Shelby smiled at Kurt.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. Rachel assures me that you can sing very well, so I'm looking forward to hearing you do so. We have our Invitational a week after school starts and Sectionals a couple of months after that. Next week we'll have more auditions, since I'm sure there will be people signing up at the open house that Carmel holds for freshmen and new students," she said before looking between him and Blaine. "Which one of you would like to go first?"

"I'd like to, if that's okay," Kurt said.

"Go ahead," Blaine said with a smile.

Kurt blamed the nerves he felt on his audition and not the fact that the cute boy he'd just met smiled at him.

"Do you have your music?" Shelby asked.

Kurt nodded, handing Shelby the CD.

"Good luck. Both of you," Rachel said before she and Jesse took their seats with the rest of Vocal Adrenaline.

Kurt took a deep breath and then made his way onto the stage when Shelby indicated with a nod of her head that she was ready for him to begin. Once he had introduced himself, Kurt waited for the music to begin before he began to sing.

 _All that work and what did it get me?_  
Why did I do it?  
Scrapbooks full of me in the background.  
Give 'em love and what does it get ya?  
What does it get ya?

Feeling more comfortable, Kurt began to utilize the stage and improvise some of his own choreography.

 _One quick look as each of 'em leaves you._  
All your life and what does it get ya?  
Thanks a lot and out with the garbage,  
They take bows and you're battin' zero

Watching Kurt up on the stage, Rachel squeezed Jesse's hand. Keeping his eyes on the boy on the stage, Jesse gave Rachel's hand a squeeze back in reassurance, well aware of how much she wanted Kurt to do well.

 _I had a dream._  
I dreamed it for you, Dad.  
It wasn't for me, Dad.  
And if it wasn't for me  
Then where would you be,  
Miss Rachel Berry?

Rachel's lips curved into a smile as she heard Kurt improvise the lyrics of the song. He seemed to be more relaxed now and she was hoping that was a good thing.

 _Well, someone tell me, when is it my turn?_  
Don't I get a dream for myself?  
Starting now it's gonna be my turn.  
Gangway, world, get off of my runway!  
Starting now I bat a thousand!  
This time, boys, I'm taking the bows and  
Everything's coming up Kurt!  
Everything's coming up Hummel!  
Everything's coming up Kurt!  
This time for me!  
Hahahahahahaha!  
For me! For me! For me! For me! For me! For me! Ya!

Kurt finished the song with a flourish, immediately looking out into the audience to try and find his best friend. When he heard clapping, he was surprised to find the entire team, plus Blaine, applauding him.

"Thank you, Kurt. Blaine, you're next," Shelby said into her microphone.

As Kurt passed Blaine on the way off the stage, he heard the other boy tell him that he'd done a great job and he'd be a tough act to follow. He caught Rachel's eye and returned her bright smile before taking a seat in the audience, a couple of rows behind the members of Vocal Adrenaline.

Following the same pattern as Kurt had by introducing himself first, Blaine waited as the music began before he started to sing his song.

 _It's not unusual to be loved by anyone_  
It's not unusual to have fun with anyone  
But when I see you hanging about with anyone  
It's not unusual to see me cry  
Oh, I wanna die.

Jesse smiled as he recognized the song Blaine had chosen-which he wouldn't share with him beforehand. Knowing this song fit the performer part of his cousin's personality perfectly; he gave Rachel's hand another squeeze as he watched the performance.

 _It's not unusual to go out at any time_  
But when I see you out and about, it's such a crime  
If you should ever wanna be loved by anyone  
It's not unusual – it happens every day  
No matter what you say  
You find it happens all the time!  
Love will never do  
What you want it to  
Why can't this crazy love be mine?

Focusing on the song, Blaine was able to ignore any nerves he still felt. Jesse had told him that he was a very good performer, and Rachel had been encouraging with his pre-audition song the night before, so he felt a little better about the whole process.

 _It's not unusual to be mad with anyone_  
It's not unusual to be sad with anyone  
But if I ever find that you've changed at anytime  
It's not unusual to find out I'm in love with you.  
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!  
Whoa-oh-oh  
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!  
Oh-oh

After finishing his song, Blaine was silent as he too received a round of applause from the members of what he hoped would soon be his team. Making his way off the stage to join Kurt in the audience, he realized that he was not only nervous because of the audition, but because he immediately felt something in regards to the boy he'd literally just met and he realized just how scary that actually feels. Not wanting to inflate his cousin's ego any more, Blaine decided to keep that little bit of information to himself…at least for the time being. As he took his seat next to Kurt, he watched Shelby walk up onto the stage.

"Kurt, Blaine, you were both wonderful. I'd like to talk to the team alone for a few minutes. Jesse will let you when we've made a decision," she said.

Both boys nodded and then made their way out into the hallway, taking a seat on a couch that was situated near the doorway.

* * *

While the team was deliberating, Kurt had gotten up from his seat on the couch and proceeded to pace the hallway.

"So what did Shelby mean when she said your audition wasn't really planned?" Blaine asked, hoping conversation would ease his companion's nerves.

"I literally ran into Rachel at the mall yesterday, she convinced me to talk my dad into letting me try out for Vocal Adrenaline, and obviously transfer to Carmel. I get bullied a lot at school…it makes me, and my dad, nervous. You never really know what they're going to do next."

"Oh, I get that. I was bullied at my old school, too. Even if I don't get in, I'm transferring. As Jesse puts it, I shouldn't be bullied simply because I know my soul mate is a boy and not a girl."

"That sounds like something Rachel would say, too. I have to admit, from what I've seen; there can't possibly be a better match for either of them than each other."

"That's very true," Blaine said as Kurt took a seat next to him once more. "Now that Jesse lives with Shelby and Rachel, he gets to spend pretty much all of his free time with her."

"He moved in with Shelby and Rachel?" Kurt asked, surprised. "Why?"

"It's a long story, and if you want it, you'll have to ask him, but basically he realized that he couldn't continue to live at his parents' house, so Shelby offered to let him move in with her. My parents also offered, but Shelby lives closer to the school and Rachel is there too. It made more sense for him to move in there."

"I'm sure that makes Rachel deliriously happy. I've known her for a long time, and I've never seen her so happy."

"It's the same for Jesse. He's my cousin as well as my best friend, just a year older than me, so he's literally been around my entire life."

"Talking about me are you?" Jesse asked as he walked out into the hallway, a smile on his face.

"So the verdict is in," Kurt surmised before Blaine could answer his cousin's question.

Jesse nodded.

"Come on, Shelby wants to talk to both of you."

Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand encouragingly, surprised by the jolt he felt. He remembered Jesse telling him about the jolt that he'd felt when he held Rachel's hand for the first time and made a mental note to ask him about it later as he followed Jesse and Kurt into the auditorium.

* * *

Once they were back in the auditorium, Jesse once again took his seat beside Rachel. Taking Jesse's cue, both Kurt and Blaine took seats not far from the team. Shelby was standing on the stage, waiting for some of the other team members to end a conversation. Once they did so, Shelby began to talk.

"We have a lot to do today, so I'll get right to the point. I expect nothing but the best from the both of you. I understand there will be a period of transition, as you get used to the way we do things, and I'm willing to help you however I can, but I don't accept any bad attitudes. You will pull your own weight and be a team player, which includes respecting the fact that Jesse and Rachel are the leads and will therefore be receiving the most solos. If you don't feel that you can do that, I want you to leave now."

When neither Kurt nor Blaine made a move to get up, instead nodding in agreement to what she had just said, Shelby smiled.

"Then welcome to Vocal Adrenaline. Both of you."

Kurt and Blaine exchanged a grin before the rest of the team made their way to where they were sitting, lead by Rachel and Jesse.

"I told my dad I would call him after my audition," Kurt said once Shelby joined the rest of the team.

Having spoken to Burt the night before and knowing this was one of his stipulations for considering Kurt's transfer, Shelby nodded in understanding.

"Go ahead. Try to keep it under five minutes, though."

"I'll do my best, thanks," Kurt said before he got up and walked out of the auditorium, cell phone in hand.

* * *

A few minutes later, when Kurt walked back into the auditorium, he saw the various members of his new team rehearsing what looked like different parts to the same routine. He saw Shelby sitting at her desk.

"I'm sorry," he started, "I don't really know what I'm supposed to do,"

Shelby smiled at him encouragingly.

"It's okay. We have an uneven number of girls and boys at this point, but that will change once we have our official auditions next week. Jesse and Rachel have volunteered to get you and Blaine caught up while I work with the rest of the team. Everything okay with your dad?"

Kurt nodded. "He said he'd call McKinley as soon as he got off the phone with me."

"Good, Good. Go ahead and join Rachel, Jesse, and Blaine. The sooner you're familiar with the routines, the better."

Not needing any more encouragement, Kurt quickly made his way over to where the threesome was going over sheet music.

* * *

Later that night, after returning home from rehearsal, Rachel flung herself dramatically onto the couch in the living room, making Jesse laugh.

"Tired?" he asked, moving her legs to rest on his lap so he could sit on the couch with her.

"Yes, but a good tired," Rachel answered.

"Good tired?" Jesse wondered.

"Yes. You know, when you're tired, but happy. I'm happy that you're living here and I get to spend every night with you. I'm happy that both Kurt and Blaine will be at Carmel, not only because they won't be bullied anymore, which neither of them deserves by the way, but also because they're our friends. On the other hand, I don't remember the last time I danced so much, especially in high heels."

Jesse nodded in understanding before he spoke. "You're also hungry."

Rachel lifted her head to look at her boyfriend.

"How did you know that?"

Jesse grinned at her.

"Aside from the fact that I can hear your stomach grumbling from all the way over here? Because I'm hungry, too."

Rachel laughed, swinging her legs off the couch and letting Jesse pull her up so she could stand.

* * *

"Hi sweetie, Jesse," Hiram greeted as Rachel and Jesse entered the kitchen.

"Hi, Daddy," Rachel returned, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Whatever you're cooking, it smells delicious," Jesse added.

"Thank you. It's called chicken fried tofu. It's a new recipe I found online. Even Leroy likes it, and he's not a big tofu fan."

"How much longer, Daddy?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse took seats at the table.

"A couple of minutes. Your mom sent me a text letting me know when rehearsal ended so I could get it started."

"Where's Dad?"

"Upstairs talking to your Mom I think. You know him, always so many questions, and so many concerns."

"Concerns about what?" Jesse wondered.

Hiram shrugged.

"It's Leroy. I stopped wondering years ago. I'm sure it's about Rachel, and her living two and half hours from us. He's still a bit uneasy about the whole thing."

"I'll be  _fine_ ," Rachel insisted, both a bit annoyed and touched.

"I know, sweetie, but you know how your Dad is. Shelby's well aware as well, so I'm sure she has everything under control. Tell me about your day," Hiram said as he placed the food on the plates he'd set out earlier.

"I met Jesse's aunt this morning, she invited Jesse and I to dinner the next time we have a weekend off. Plus, both Kurt's  _and_  Blaine's auditions went well, so Mom gave them each a spot on the team. I'm hoping Mom can work some sort of magic and get Kurt into at least some of my classes," Rachel started.

"Since all Vocal Adrenaline members have study hall for their second-to-last period, our schedules are pretty much the same. There's a very good change you and Kurt will have most, if not all, your classes together," Jesse told her.

"Good," Rachel said as Hiram set the plates on the table.

"Thank you for doing this, Mr. Berry," Jesse said.

"You can call me Hiram. Mr. Berry sounds so formal. But you're welcome. As I'm sure Rachel has told you, I enjoy cooking so it was really no inconvenience for me."

Jesse smiled and nodded before he took a bite of the food in front of him.

"This is better than I thought it would be," he said, causing both Hiram and Rachel to laugh.

"I'll leave you two alone, I'm going to see if I can rescue Shelby from Leroy," Hiram said before he left the room.

"Do you really like it?" Rachel asked once Hiram was out of earshot.

"Yes. I wasn't sure how it would taste, but it really is very good," Jesse assured her.

Rachel and Jesse continued to talk and simply enjoy each other's company while they finished their food. Once they were finished eating, they made their way upstairs.

* * *

"I'm going to go say goodnight to my dads. I'll meet you in my room in a little while, okay?" Rachel said once she and Jesse had reached the top of the steps.

"Deal," Jesse said, pressing a kiss to Rachel's cheek before turning to enter his own room while Rachel walked further down the hall to the one her fathers were staying in.

"Dad? Daddy?" Rachel said as she knocked lightly on their door.

Leroy opened the door and pulled Rachel into a hug.

"Sounds like you had an exciting day," he remarked as she hugged Hiram.

"I did. I really like it here, Dad. You know Mom and Jesse would never let anything bad happen to me, and neither would Kurt or Blaine," Rachel said.

"So I've been caught," Leroy said with a laugh. "I know that, honey, I just worry about you."

"I don't understand  _why_  though. I know you love me and that automatically makes you worried and concerned about me, but…" Rachel started.

"You will always be my little girl in my heart. I'm afraid there's nothing you can do about that. I trust your Mom, and even though I don't know him very well yet, I trust Jesse. I'll miss having you around, but I understand how much you like it here. I would, too, if I were in your place."

Rachel nodded in understanding.

"I really just came to say goodnight. I'm exhausted and I still need to complete my nightly routine."

Both Leroy and Hiram hugged their daughter once more before they watched her walk out of the room.

* * *

When Rachel walked into her room, she was pleasantly surprised to find Jesse already waiting for her.

"That was quick," she said, walking over to where he lounged on her bed.

Jesse leaned over to give her a quick kiss.

"Just the essentials tonight," he explained.

Rachel nodded in understanding.

"That was my plan, too. I won't be long, I promise."

"Take your time, Rach. I know it's important to you."

Rachel smiled at him.

"I'll be out in a little bit," she said before walking into her bathroom.

* * *

When she re-entered her bedroom a short while later, Jesse was still lounging on her bed, only now he had a photo album in his hands.

"Where did you get that?" Rachel wondered as she joined him on the bed.

"Your dads brought it in while you were busy with your routine. They said you said you wanted it. I hope you don't mind I started looking through it," Jesse answered.

"No, not at all. Can we go to sleep now, though?"

Jesse chuckled and nodded, setting the album on the nightstand beside him while Rachel turned off her lamp.

"You were a cute kid, Rach," he said as she settled into his arms.

"If I was cute back then, what am I now?"

Jesse tilted her face up and leaned down to press his lips to hers.

"Absolutely gorgeous."

Rachel smiled as she settled her head on his shoulder and felt his arms tighten around her.

"Good to know," she said before closing her eyes.

Pressing one last kiss to her forehead, Jesse settled against the pillows and laid his head on top of Rachel's before closing his own eyes. Both teens were blissfully asleep within seconds, already looking forward to the next day, when they would once again get to spend a large portion of their day together.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, after she'd finished her routine, Rachel walked out of her bathroom, intending on meeting Jesse downstairs in the kitchen like they'd done the last few mornings when she saw him sitting on her bed.

"Hi," she said, walking over to him.

"Hi," he returned, standing to pull her into his arms.

Rachel wrapped her own arms around Jesse's neck, tilting her head up so she could look into his eyes.

"Everything okay?"

Jesse bent his head to brush his lips with Rachel's before he answered.

"My sister called this morning."

Rachel didn't bother to hide her surprised look.

"What did she want?"

Jesse shrugged a little before explaining.

"To talk….again. I've been thinking about what you said regarding her, so I agreed to talk. She's still staying at our parents' house, so I said I'd stop by after rehearsals. I've had a few days to think about things, and talking to you about it helped. I can't guarantee that I'll give her another chance, but I think she's still hiding something about why she's truly here."

Rachel smiled at her boyfriend.

"I think this will be good for both of you."

"I hope you're right," Jesse said, reluctantly releasing her so they could make their way downstairs.

* * *

"I have my list finished," Jesse said as he and Rachel walked into the kitchen, referring to the list she had asked him to make of musicals for his birthday musical night.

"Is it in your room?" Rachel asked, grabbing some fruit and lemon water from the center island.

Jesse nodded as he too grabbed some of the food that Shelby put out for breakfast every morning.

"On my desk, next to my computer."

"I'll grab it after rehearsal, if that's okay."

"Sure. There's a couple on there that we don't have here, but Blaine said he'd bring them."

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Is there anyone else you want to invite?"

Jesse shook his head.

"If my aunt and uncle were into musicals, maybe them, but I really don't want to make a big deal out of this."

"Jess, it's your  _birthday_."

Jesse shrugged.

"I've never had anyone make a big deal out of my birthday before."

"What about your aunt and uncle?" Rachel wondered.

"They tried, but I'm not their kid. Plus, the last few years I've been busy with Vocal Adrenaline stuff, so I just got used to pretty much treating it like any other day."

"But it's not."

Jesse smiled at his girlfriend.

"I told you-I'd be happy just spending time with you. I do like the idea of another musical marathon night, though."

"I know you have friends on the team other than Blaine, so why not invite them? It could be fun."

"I do, but honestly, I'd rather keep it small. You can invite Kurt if you want. He and Blaine seemed to hit it off pretty well."

"That's true. I'll talk to Kurt about it when I see him. I do have a confession to make though."

"What might that be?" Jesse asked as he eyed her curiously.

Unsure how Jesse would feel about her confession, Rachel gave into one of her nervous habits and bit her lip before she spoke.

"I kind of already asked my daddy if he'd make dinner for us that night…including your aunt and uncle…"

Jesse leaned over and kissed her sweetly.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"You're not mad?" she asked nervously.

Jesse laughed as he shook his head.

"No. Why would I be mad?"

"Because I did it without asking…"

"Isn't that what surprises are supposed to be all about?"

"It's not a surprise…"

"It was, and it's a wonderful one. I love you, Rach, and I'm eternally grateful that you love me in return. Especially enough to plan something like this."

"I love you, too, Jess," Rachel responded with a bright smile.

* * *

Later that night, after rehearsal, Jesse walked over to his parents' house to not only talk to his sister, but to grab a few more of his things as well. Unwilling to ring the doorbell, he used the key he still had to the house to let himself in. He heard the sound of a piano coming from the living room, recognized the song being played as a classical piece he'd learned during his many years of piano lessons. Shutting the door, he walked into the living room and saw that it was his sister playing the song. When she saw him, she abruptly stopped.

"Jesse. I didn't hear you come in," she said, standing up.

"I didn't know you still played," Jesse commented.

"I haven't in Lord knows how long, but I just had this desire to play. You know?"

"I understand."

"How was rehearsal?" Genevieve asked tentatively, noticing her brother seemed to be in a better mood than the last time she spoke with him.

"Good. Things are going well so far, but almost everyone who's there now has been there for at least nearly a year."

"Not everyone has?"

Jesse shook his head, wondering why it hadn't been this easy to talk to his sister before.

"Rachel, Blaine, and Kurt are new. Rachel's been there the longest of the three, but Kurt and Blaine just joined yesterday."

"Rachel is Shelby's daughter, isn't she?"

"Why?" Jesse asked, immediately defensive since he was still unsure what exactly his sister wanted.

"I'm just curious," Genevieve responded, holding her hands up as if she were surrendering.

Jesse eyed his sister skeptically before he spoke.

"Yes, she's Shelby's daughter. She's also my girlfriend."

Genevieve nodded.

"I know you're anxious to get back to Shelby's, and I don't blame you, but I did want to tell you some things I should have from the start."

"I need to grab a few more things, so can we walk and talk?" Jesse asked.

Genevieve nodded again, following her brother upstairs to his room and watching while he put some more things in a box she hadn't noticed he'd brought with him.

"I almost died," she started, causing Jesse to stop what he was doing and turn around to face her.

"What?" he asked, unsure he heard correctly.

"Well…I  _did_  die, actually, for like two minutes, but they brought me back."

" _How_?" Jesse asked, sitting on his bed.

Genevieve shrugged a little.

"The typical cliché car crash. It was dark, and it had been raining non-stop for days. I was on my way home from my last day at a job I absolutely  _hated_. It was a little of me not paying a whole lot of attention, I just wanted to get home, and the other driver paying less attention than I was. He swerved into my lane, hit me head on. The doctors said I should have died on impact. My car was absolutely  _totaled_. The sad part is Mom and Dad were more concerned about the car I totaled, and what it was going to cost them to get rid of that one plus make sure I had a new car, than they were with my well-being."

"How did you survive?" Jesse asked.

Genevieve took a seat next to her brother before continuing.

"I have no idea, really. Miracle. Fate, I guess. Whatever you want to call it. I felt like I broke every bone in my body. I had bruises and broken bones all over. I've never been so terrified in my entire life. Not like I was in the moments leading up to the crash, in the days afterwards when they weren't sure if I'd live or die from my injuries."

"So how did you…" Jesse started.

"Die?" Genevieve supplied. At her brother's nod, she spoke again. "I'm not really sure myself. Something about the combination of my injuries putting too much stress on my body and my heart just stopping, at least that's what the doctors told me later on. When I managed to regain consciousness, I was beyond freaked out. I never really believed in the whole out of body, near death experience thing until  _I_ experienced it myself. It also didn't take me long afterwards to notice that Joel was sitting there, looking paler than I was."

"Your fiancé?"

"He wasn't at that point, but yes. We hadn't been together all that long. Only a few weeks, but he was there for me through the whole thing. My roommate was dating Joel's best friend, and she was my emergency contact, since I knew very well Mom and Dad wouldn't bother leaving whatever country they were in at the time. Anyway, they were all together when she got the news. I guess you could say they became  _my_  family, the way you created your own as well."

"Why didn't you just tell me all of this before?" Jesse wondered. "I don't understand."

Genevieve sighed as she shrugged again.

"I think I have more of our parents in me than you do. You were so  _mad_  when I showed up, and I don't blame you. I handled it horribly, and I'm sorry. I really  _do_  want to be part of your life, Jesse, and I really  _do_  want you at my wedding. You had the part about me wanting my perfect wedding right, because I do want that, but if you let me back into your life, I have no intention of playing nice for the wedding and then walking right back out. I'm finishing up grad school this year, and Joel and I have our wedding planned for next summer."

"I don't know how I feel about all of this yet," Jesse admitted. "I want to believe you're telling the truth, but I also need you to prove that you mean what you say. I meant what I said about wanting nothing to do with you if you don't plan on  _staying_  in my life, should I let you in it again."

"I understand. I'm doing an internship here in Akron, which is another reason I bought the house from Mom and Dad. Joel is trying to find a job here, but it's not an easy task. He'll be here tomorrow for a couple of weeks. He's hoping being in town will give him an advantage."

"What does he do?"

"He's an architect. Apparently they aren't in high demand around here. I'd like you to meet him, though….and I'd like to meet your Rachel."

"We'll see about that," Jesse said, standing once more to finish packing.

"Why don't you want me to meet her?" Genevieve asked.

Jesse once again stopped his packing to look directly at his sister.

"She's my world, Genevieve. Until I'm positive about what your intentions are, I don't want you near her. If I let you back into my life, I'm also letting you into hers since she's such a big part of mine. It's one thing if you hurt me, but it's an entirely different one if you hurt her. She's very trusting, and she has no reason  _not_  to be, but I'm not willing to take the chance of letting someone hurt her if I can help it. I'll take what you told me into consideration, but you have to understand where _I'm_  coming from too."

"I didn't realize it was that serious."

Jesse sighed, frustrated.

"You told me that Joel was at your side in the hospital, even though you'd only been dating a short period of time. Had the roles been reversed, would you have done the same for him?"

"In a heartbeat," Genevieve answered, beginning to understand.

"Then you have to understand when I tell you that Rachel is my  _life_. She's my world. She means absolutely  _everything_ to me. I'm going to marry her someday."

"I understand that feeling, really I do," Genevieve said with a sigh. "I'm just being impatient I guess. Like I said, I think there's more of our parents in me than in you."

"You have to apologize to Shelby first, especially before you go anywhere  _near_ Rachel, you know this, right?"

Genevieve nodded in acknowledgement.

"I was wrong, I realize that. I want to apologize in person, but she won't talk to me. Not that I blame her."

"She will if I ask her to. You also need to understand, though, that she's the one that's been there for me the most the last few years. Now I'm dating her daughter and living with them in her house."

"So you are living there. I wondered."

"I'm surprised Mother and Father didn't tell you."

"I only called them to get your number. They were less than pleased. They're only willing to pay for the wedding so they don't have to feel guilty about not attending it. Plus, they hate Joel so it's not like they actually  _wanted_  to be there."

"Why, because he's not a ruthless, shady businessman like Father?" Jesse wondered as he once again began to put things into the box.

"Pretty much," Genevieve admitted with a shrug. "It also doesn't help that he doesn't come from money. Even though I stopped caring a while ago, it still kind of hurts."

"They already don't like Rachel, though they've never met her, and I couldn't care less. She's perfect for me, and that's all that matters to me," Jesse revealed.

"Wow. They at least met Joel before they made a decision."

"Rachel was pretty much doomed from the start as far as their approval goes-she's Shelby's daughter…but Shelby was never married to Rachel's biological father. In fact, he's gay, and he and his husband raised Rachel in Lima. Shelby has always been a part of Rachel's life, and she visited often, but this is the first time Rachel's actually  _lived_  with her mother," Jesse explained.

"That would definitely be points against her," Genevieve agreed, "but it sounds like she has three wonderful parents."

"She does," Jesse agreed, "they spoil her absolutely rotten, but she's also extremely grateful for all of the opportunities she's been given. She's incredible."

Genevieve couldn't help the smile that bloomed on her face as she listened to Jesse talk about Rachel. Clearly, he was head over heels in love with the girl. She knew how that felt, and she was glad that Jesse found someone to truly love him.

"Oh, I have a present for you," she said, as if suddenly remembering that she'd gotten him something, before she got up and walked down the hall to her own childhood room.

As he followed his sister, Jesse peeked inside the open door to what was once his parents' bedroom. The furniture was gone and there were boxes all over. There was also ripped wallpaper and what looked like either white paint or primer on the walls.

"What are you  _doing_  to the house exactly?" he asked as he walked into his sister's room.

"Redecorating," Genevieve answered as she turned with a small wrapped box in her hands, "it  _is_  my house now and all."

Jesse nodded. When Genevieve held the box out to him, he took it and sat in the chair at her desk to unwrap it. Opening it up, he discovered a gift card to the local music store.

"I wasn't sure exactly what to get you….I know you like musical theater and well, music in general, but I wanted to get you  _something_. I know it's kind of impersonal…"

"It's okay. I get it. I can actually use this, though, so it's not totally impersonal. Thank you," Jesse said, sticking the card in his wallet and setting the box down on his sister's desk.

"Thank you for listening, Jesse. I know I haven't been the best sibling in the world, but I  _am_  going to try to be better. I  _do_  want to be part of your life."

"I'm glad you finally told me the truth. If you do meet Rachel, you'll have to thank her. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here right now."

"I'll do that," Genevieve said with a nod.

"I should go, Rachel's probably worried and I told her I didn't plan on this taking very long," Jesse said, getting up and walking back down the hall to his own room.

Once he'd grabbed the box filled with more of his things, he made his way downstairs, where Genevieve was waiting for him.

"Vocal Adrenaline has their Invitational in a couple of weeks. Mother and Father never use the seats that get reserved for them, but if you and Joel want to use them, you're welcome to them," Jesse said.

Genevieve smiled at him.

"We'll do that, thank you. Happy birthday, Jesse."

Jesse nodded in thanks before Genevieve opened the door for him and he walked back down the block to Shelby's.

* * *

When Jesse walked back into the house he now called home, he heard the voices of Rachel, Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy in the living room. Smiling to himself, he made his way upstairs to his own room. He wasn't surprised when he heard the door open again few minutes later, as he was unpacking.

"Jess?" Rachel asked as she opened the door and stepped inside the room.

Jesse turned to smile at his girlfriend. After she'd shut the door, he pulled her into his arms and bent his head to kiss her.

"I missed you," Rachel said when they ended the kiss.

"I missed you, too," Jesse responded with a smile.

"How did things with your sister go?"

"Quite well, actually."

"Will you tell me about it?"

"I need to finish unpacking, but sure."

Rachel reluctantly stepped out of her boyfriend's arms and made herself comfortable on his bed, where she lounged while she listened attentively as he told her everything that had happened.

"You invited her to the Invitational?" Rachel asked, surprised.

Jesse chuckled as he nodded.

"I surprised myself, actually. I think she'll actually enjoy it, though. She's always liked music. She doesn't want to perform in the way that you and I do, but she took piano lessons as a kid and she usually has some kind of music playing."

"I'm glad things went well," Rachel said with a smile.

"I told her that she owed you for me giving her another chance to explain herself."

"You did? Why?"

"Because it's true. If it hadn't been for you, Rach, I don't think I'd have given her another chance to really explain. We were both guilty of not listening. I  _am_  still worried she'll walk right back out of my life, but she also seems to genuinely be sorry, so I'm not really sure what exactly I'm going to do at this point."

"I think inviting her to the Invitational was a good start. If she wants to be in your life, she needs to support you in the things that mean the most to you."

"She gave me a birthday present," he revealed, taking a seat on the bed next to his girlfriend.

"What did she get you?"

"A gift card to the music store in the mall. I was surprised she got me anything at all, actually."

"See? She's trying. That's good. Plus, it's not like you won't use it."

"That's pretty much exactly what I told her," Jesse admitted with a small chuckle.

"My mom said I have to meet with Ms. Pillsbury-Howell tomorrow after rehearsal…so I can pick out my electives. The whole two that I get, since I'm only a sophomore," Rachel said, changing the subject.

"It could be two more classes that are pretty much guaranteed to have Kurt in them," Jesse offered, running his fingers through Rachel's hair as he spoke.

"That's true," Rachel admitted, brightening a little. "Maybe you and Blaine, too?"

Jesse smiled at her.

"Maybe. You don't need to pick them with me in mind, Rach. Take whatever classes you want."

Rachel returned her boyfriend's smile.

"I know. It would be nice if I had more classes with you, though. It's going to be weird not spending pretty much the entire day with you."

"You'll probably still see me throughout the day, though…and all Vocal Adrenaline members have their lunch period together, since we have our study hall and then our music class right after that, plus rehearsal at the end of the day. We still get to spend every night together too."

"That's true. Oh, I did talk to Kurt, too, about Friday. He said he'd love to join us. I didn't tell him Blaine would be there, though."

Jesse eyed his girlfriend curiously.

"What are you planning, Rachel Barbra Berry?"

Rachel blinked innocently.

"Nothing. Why would I be planning anything?"

"Because I know that look. That's the Rachel-is-up-to-something look."

"I think Kurt and Blaine would make a cute couple….they seemed to hit it off really well…" Rachel admitted.

"Just promise me you'll let  _them_  work it out? I know Kurt is your best friend, and you've taken to Blaine quickly as well, but  _they_  would be the ones in the relationship, not you," Jesse requested.

"I know," Rachel said with a sigh as she sat up to sit cross-legged on Jesse's bed, "I just want everyone to be as happy as we are."

Jesse chuckled before he pressed a kiss to Rachel's cheek.

"I think it's incredibly adorable that you feel that way. I understand where you're coming from, Rach, really I do. I want Blaine to be happy, too. Kurt as well, though I don't know him very well yet, and I do agree that they seemed to get along very well…but they need to figure it out for themselves."

Rachel nodded.

"Did you find my list?" Jesse asked, changing the subject of their conversation again.

Rachel nodded again.

"I compared it to mine for Thursday, and I only had to change one movie. I tried not to include your favorites on my list, since I figured you'd want to save them for Friday."

"Everything all set for Friday, then? Your daddy is okay with making dinner?"

"Yes. I talked to him about it; he said to just let him know if there's something in particular you wanted."

"I'll think about it. Right now, though, you should start your routine if you want to get a decent amount of sleep tonight."

Rachel frowned when she glanced at the clock on the table beside Jesse's bed. With a sigh, she got up off of the bed.

"I'll meet you in your room in a half an hour," Jesse assured her, pulling her down for a kiss.

After kissing her boyfriend once more, Rachel walked across the hall to her own room to begin her nightly routine.

* * *

Walking into her room, Rachel was surprised to find her mother waiting for her, some kind of book in her hands.

"Mom?" Rachel asked, walking over to her mother.

Shelby held the book out to her daughter.

"It's Carmel's course catalog. It has all the requirements for your sophomore year, plus the ones for junior and senior year if you decide to stay at Carmel, as well as the electives you can choose from. Your dads and I are happy to help you with your choices, as I'm sure Jesse is too. Emma said she would be more than happy to go over them with you as well."

"I'll look through it and let you know in the morning if I have any questions."

Shelby smiled and nodded.

"Everything go okay with Jesse and his sister?"

"Sounds like it, but you'd have to ask him to be sure. He invited her to the Invitational," Rachel answered, walking to her dresser to pull out a pair of pajamas.

"Really," Shelby said, sounding surprised. "For his sake, I hope she shows up."

"He also told her she'd have to apologize to you, for the way she acted."

"That sounds like Jesse. I know you have a routine, so I'll let you get to it. I just wanted to give you the catalog and see if you needed anything," Shelby said, making a move to stand up.

"I can't think of anything, but I'll let you know if I do, if that's okay," Rachel responded.

Shelby smiled and nodded, bending to give her daughter a hug.

"Goodnight, baby."

"'Night, Mom," Rachel said before her mother left the room and she began her routine.

She was already looking forward to the next few days. She and Jesse would have  _their_  musical night on Thursday, followed by one with their friends the next night. She had a feeling the musical nights would probably also involve Kurt and Blaine from now on, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She still missed her friends from Lima, and she'd miss her dads as well when they went back, but she was far happier in Akron than she'd ever been in Lima. She was getting to know her mother better than ever, making new friends, had a wonderful boyfriend, and was now her best friend was here to stay as well. Humming happily, Rachel finished her routine and then walked back into her bedroom. Jesse was there, as he'd promised, but he was already asleep in her bed. Smiling, Rachel turned off her lamp before she slid under the covers and into her boyfriend's welcoming arms, unaware of the surprise that  _he_  had planned for  _her_. 


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, when she walked into the auditorium, the first thing Rachel saw was Kurt and Blaine sitting next to each other, talking like they were old friends. When she squeezed Jesse's hand excitedly, he chuckled and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"No meddling, remember?" he told her.

"I won't meddle, but I can be happy that they're beginning to be at least friends," Rachel promised.

Jesse smiled at her.

"Of course you can."

Still smiling, Rachel let Jesse lead her the rest of the way down the aisle to their seats. As soon as they sat down, Kurt and Blaine turned around to greet them.

"They have entire classes dedicated to all things fashion!" Kurt practically exclaimed before Rachel could even sit down.

"That has your name written all over it," Rachel agreed with a smile.

Kurt nodded enthusiastically. Before anyone could say anything else, they all noticed Shelby walk past them and up onto the stage. Knowing she'd want their attention, Rachel and Jesse sat back in their seats while Kurt and Blaine turned around to do the same.

"Since we're losing a couple of days of rehearsal next week due to auditions, I want to go through all of our numbers; Invitational first, and then Sectionals. We'll be adding more members next week, so I want to make sure all of you know the choreography well enough to teach the new members. Depending on how many new ones there are, I may split you up into groups to teach them. Any questions?"

"Are we doing two or three numbers for the Invitational?" Rachel asked, unsure what her mother had decided.

Though she had originally planned on three songs, she had considered cutting it down to two due to the amount of time until the Invitational.

"Three," Shelby said firmly. "Does everyone feel comfortable with that?"

Rachel looked around at her team members, who either nodded or shrugged.

"Looks like it," she answered.

"All right, then let's get started," Shelby said with a nod of her head before she walked off of the stage and to her desk towards the middle of the auditorium.

Once the members of Vocal Adrenaline had taken their places on stage, she pressed the button on the remote to start the music, smiling when she saw how well the numbers were coming together.

* * *

Later that night, after returning from rehearsal, Shelby saw Genevieve St. James walking down the sidewalk towards her.

"Hello, Genevieve," Shelby greeted coolly.

"Hello, Shelby," Genevieve returned. "I was hoping you had a couple of minutes to talk, to let me explain."

"Explain…what, exactly?"

"I want to apologize for the way I acted the last time we spoke. Like I told Jesse, I have a lot more of our parents in me than he does….or at least he has better control over it than I do. Whichever the case, I was wrong to act like that. Joel tells me I act like a spoiled rich kid when I get defensive."

"Joel?" Shelby asked.

"My fiancé. He'll be here in a few days."

"I understand that Jesse is your brother, but  _you_  were the one to walk out of his life, not the other way around. You have to understand he'd be hesitant to just let you right back in, especially after so long."

"I didn't exactly expect to be welcomed with open arms, but I wasn't expecting the reaction I got either. Although, now that I've thought about it, I don't blame him for acting the way he did. I didn't do a very good job of explaining myself, or my intentions, either."

"He said you gave him a birthday present. That seems like a pretty good start to me."

Genevieve shrugged a little.

"It was just a gift card to the music store at the mall. I wasn't sure what to get him, but I wanted to get him  _something_. He told me it wasn't impersonal and he'd definitely use it."

Shelby smiled and nodded.

"He will. I'm pretty sure he and Rachel are already planning what to buy with it. It's their favorite store."

"Rachel is your daughter, correct?"

"Yes. She and Jesse have been pretty much inseparable since they met."

"He told me he was going to marry her someday."

"A fact which your father is none too pleased about," Shelby said with a slight smile.

"I'd guess not. He doesn't like my fiancé either; he's rather disappointed in both of his children."

"Really," Shelby said, surprised.

"Yes. Joel is an architect, hardly the choice career for a so-called suitable husband for me. He also doesn't come from money, at least not the type my parents have."

"So what made you come back to Akron? Jesse didn't tell me."

"It all sort of started with a car accident I was in a couple of years ago now. My heart stopped for a couple of minutes, but they were able to revive me. I had thought about contacting Jesse before that, but I kept putting it off, thinking I'd get to it another day when I had more time. I guess you could say it made me realize what was really important to me. When the opportunity for an internship in Akron came up, I decided to take it. I also knew my parents wanted to get rid of the house here, so I bought it from them."

Shelby nodded in understanding.

"I know Jesse is a bit apprehensive about letting you back into his life, and I don't blame him, but I'm sure he'll be happy to know you apologized and I forgive you."

"You do?" Genevieve asked, surprised.

"Yes. You seem to be sincere, and I can tell that Jesse wants you to be part of his life, even if he isn't ready to admit that yet, but he's stil concerned about your intentions, for good reason," Shelby answered.

"I don't blame him. He did invite me to Vocal Adrenaline's Invitational, though" Genevieve revealed.

Shelby seemed unsurprised by the news, but she did try to make sure Genevive understood what it would mean to Jesse if she showed up.

"Your parents never show up. I've tried to make them understand what performing means to Jesse, and so has he, but they refuse to even try to understand."

"I don't love to perform the way Jesse does, but I do enjoy music. I plan on being there."

"Good. I need to get inside, I have things to do before tomorrow, but I'm sure I'll be seeing you around more."

"I don't intend on making Jesse move back into the house, he seems really happy here, but I don't want him to feel like a guest if decides to stop by," Genevieve started, taking a small key out of her pocket and handing it to Shelby. "That's the new key for the house. I changed the locks so my parents couldn't just barge in whenever they felt like it."

"I'll make sure Jesse gets it. Goodnight, Genevieve," Shelby said with a small smile.

"Goodnight, Shelby," Genevieve said before she walked back down the sidewalk towards her own house.

* * *

When Shelby walked into the house, she heard voices in the kitchen. Listening closely, she could make out Hiram's voice, and Leroy's, but neither Rachel's nor Jesse's. Before she could put her foot on the step to walk upstairs, she heard the sound of a piano being played. Turning, she walked down the hall to the music room. When she walked in, both Jesse and Rachel looked surprised.

"What took you so long?" Rachel asked.

"I was talking to Jesse's sister," Shelby explained before she handed the key to Jesse.

"What's the key for?" he asked.

"Genevieve said she changed the locks, but she didn't want you to feel like you couldn't stop by, or like you had to act like a guest, so she made a copy for you."

Jesse put the key onto his keychain before he stuck the keys back into his pocket and put his hands on the keys of the piano once more.

"I'll go check on dinner," Shelby said before she turned to leave the room.

Once they were alone, Jesse turned to his girlfriend.

"Well, what would you like to sing?" he asked her.

Rachel picked up the book of songs currently sitting on the piano and flipped through the pages until she found a song she liked.

"This one," she said, setting the book back where she had found it.

"As you wish," Jesse responded, pressing a kiss to her cheek before he played the opening notes and began to sing.

 **No more talk of darkness,**  
Forget these wide-eyed fears  
I'm here, nothing can harm you  
my words will warm and calm you  
Let me be your freedom,  
let daylight dry your tears.  
I'm here with you, beside you,  
to guard you and to guide you...

Taking her cue, Rachel sang the next verse.

 _Say you love me every waking moment,_  
turn my head with talk of summertime...  
Say you need me with you now and always...  
Promise me that all you say is true  
that's all I ask of you…

* * *

Down the hall in the kitchen, all three of the adults smiled as they heard Jesse and Rachel singing.

"I'm going to miss that," Hiram commented as he checked on the dinner he was preparing.

"You know you're welcome here anytime," Shelby told him.

"Rachel is happy, that's what matters most," Leroy put in.

"This is definitely the happiest I've ever seen her," Hiram agreed. "Jesse seems like a good kid, too. I'm not sure there could possibly be a boy that's more perfect for her, even if Leroy doesn't quite want to admit that yet."

Shelby laughed before she spoke again.

"Jesse  _is_  a good kid, and Rachel is the most important part of his life. They're bound to have their disagreements and have the occasional storm out, but they'll figure out how to make it work."

"You're absolutely positive they're soul males?" Leroy asked Shelby.

"Positive," Shelby said with a firm nod of her head.

"You can't deny it any longer, Leroy," Hiram teased. "Like mother like daughter, I guess."

"What do you mean?" Leroy asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Shelby answered before Hiram could say anything else.

Leroy looked at his husband, confused. Hiram just sighed and shrugged, then gave Leroy a look that said he'd fill him in later. With a nod of understanding, he decided to change the subject.

"Did Rachel get everything taken care of for her classes?" he asked.

"Yes. Emma answered all of the questions she had. I'm not sure who was more excited for their classes, Kurt or Rachel," Shelby answered, grateful for the subject change.

"I would guess Kurt," Hiram said, grabbing the bowls Shelby had set out.

"What is that?" Shelby asked as Hiram began to fill the bowls.

"Vegan lasagna. Even Leroy likes this stuff. Jesse seems to like all the vegan recipes I've made so far, so I expect this to be no different."

"Jesse's never been a picky eater. Careful about what he eats, yes, but not picky," Shelby said as she stood up. "I'll go get the singing duo."

* * *

After dinner, Rachel and Jesse decided to get what they could set up for the next two nights, their musical nights.

"Is Blaine still bringing some of the ones on your list?" Rachel asked, going through the movies on the shelf and picking out the ones on her list, checking them off as she did so.

"Yes," Jesse answered, watching her with a slight smile on his face. He thought she looked incredibly cute with her list and her organized way of doing things.

"What are you smiling about?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

Jesse held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Just thinking about how adorable you look right now."

"Making fun of my lists?"

Jesse smirked at her.

"Never, love."

"Uh-huh. I'm not convinced," Rachel said, walking over to her boyfriend and smiling when he slid his arms around her waist.

Jesse pulled her close so he could whisper in her ear.

"I love you, and I think your lists are cute."

Not bothering to resist the urge to tease Jesse, Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, using the same tone he'd used on her.

"If my lists are cute, what am I?"

Jesse brushed his lips with hers.

"Beautiful. Gorgeous. Mine," he answered.

"Mm. Good answer," Rachel said before turning her head to kiss Jesse again.

After reluctantly ending the kiss, Jesse glanced at his watch.

"If we're going to get a decent about of sleep tonight, we should start our routines now."

"Meet me in my room in a half an hour?" Rachel asked.

"Of course," Jesse agreed, taking Rachel's hand to lead her upstairs, not willing to relinquish her company just yet.

* * *

While their daughter and her boyfriend were busy in the music room, and Shelby was on the phone with her sister, Hiram and Leroy cleaned up the kitchen together.

"So what was going on with Shelby earlier?" Leroy asked as he dried the dishes.

Hiram sighed as he soaked another dish.

"There was a guy that Shelby dated back in high school. They seemed pretty serious, basically like Rachel and Jesse are. Inseparable. She thought she would marry him one day and everyone thought he felt the same way about her."

"What happened?"

"They dated for most of her freshman and sophomore years. He was a year older than us, very much into sports and all that. He didn't seem to really care about her interests, but she was crazy about him anyway. About half-way through her sophomore year, he broke up with her. Said he didn't know who he was anymore. She was devastated. Then Jack came along."

"Jack?"

"He was pretty much like Jesse, only not so sure about himself. He shared Shelby's love of performing though. That was the happiest I'd ever seen her, up until Rachel was born."

"I take it Jack didn't stick around?" Leroy guessed.

Hiram smiled sadly as he continued the story.

"Once Jack and Shelby started dating, her former boyfriend, Blake, suddenly decided that he wanted Shelby back. He refused to leave her alone, interfered in her and Jack's relationship in any way he could, even though he'd given Jack his word that he would leave Shelby alone. As I'm sure you can guess, that took a toll on the relationship, which was exactly what Blake's intentions were."

"They broke up?"

"Yes. Jack told Shelby she needed to choose, either him or Blake. She didn't think Blake was doing anything wrong, just being her friend, and truth be told she was still a little infatuated with him, and told Jack she wouldn't choose and if he wanted to give up on them that easily, then he should just walk away now."

"He walked away," Leroy surmised.

"Correct again. He was a couple of years older than Shelby, a year older than Blake. It was the end of the school year by the time all of this happened, so Jack left for New York a few months early. Shelby tried to date Blake again, but ended up breaking it off because she realized she couldn't truly be herself with him."

"Did she not try to find Jack?"

"She tried, but before she could work up the nerve to call him, or go to New York and talk to him in person, his engagement announcement showed up in the local paper. After that, it was like she did a complete 180 with her personality. Gone was the warm, loving side that most of us had come to know. She was cold, hid her emotions, distanced herself from most of her friends, and threw herself into making a career on Broadway. Even Sara couldn't get her to be more social, though she tried almost relentlessly."

"Sara is her sister, right?"

"Yes. Her older sister. Like I said, even she couldn't get Shelby to even try to be social again. It was like something inside her just broke."

"I had no idea."

"Most people don't. Shelby and I weren't overly close in high school, but we were close enough that I knew what was going on. Obviously the Broadway career didn't work out for Shelby, but she tried. She wanted to travel, which with the money we gave her for agreeing to be our surrogate she did. Rachel seemed to be the last thing that Shelby needed to heal whatever wounds she still had."

"She has been completely devoted to Rachel since she was born, even with all of her traveling while Rachel was younger," Leroy agreed.

"Once Shelby realized that Rachel had found her soul mate in Jesse, she did everything she could to help them, and always will."

"Does Rachel know the story you just told me?"

Hiram shook his head.

"Shelby doesn't like to talk about it, though I think she'd tell Rachel if she were to ask."

"I'm glad Rachel is happy and everything, but I'm still getting used to the fact that she's only been with Jesse a short while and she's already so serious about him."

Hiram chuckled as he patted his husband's shoulder.

"He's just as crazy about her as she is about him. Be happy that they found each other."

"I  _am_  glad that she found a boy who loves her for exactly who she is and won't try to change her, even if they are only 15 and 17," Leroy admitted.

"That's the spirit," Hiram said as he and Leroy made their way up to their room.

* * *

Closer to forty-five minutes after she and Jesse had parted to begin their nightly routines, Rachel walked out of her bathroom to see that he was waiting for her just as he'd said. He was laying against the pillows as he texted someone. When she joined him in the bed, he set the phone on the bedside table and opened his arms to her.

"Sorry I took so longer than usual," Rachel said as she settled into her boyfriend's arms.

"You don't need to apologize, Rach," Jesse told her. "I understand. It gave me a chance to finish my conversation with Blaine anyway."

"Is everything okay?"

Jesse chuckled as he nodded.

"Always such a worrier. He's fine. He still doesn't have his car back, so he needs a ride again, but other than being annoyed, he's fine."

"Good. I love you, Jess."

Jesse leaned over to kiss her softly.

"I love you, too, Rach. Sweet dreams."

"With you holding me, always," Rachel said sleepily.

Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of her head and tightened his arms around her before he closed his eyes to join the love of his life in dreamland.


	13. Chapter 13

"Rach, wake up," Jesse said softly as he gently shook his girlfriend in an effort to get her to open her eyes.

Rachel reluctantly opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times to clear her vision. When she tilted her face up to look at her boyfriend, he rewarded her by giving her a soft kiss.

"I love you," he whispered, his mouth close to her ear.

Rachel smiled, knowing she'd never get tired of hearing those words from him.

"I love you, too."

"It's early enough that we could go to Cravings for breakfast, if you'd like," Jesse suggested.

"That sounds wonderful," Rachel agreed, still smiling.

After stealing another kiss from Rachel, Jesse reluctantly let her out of his embrace so they could both start their morning routines.

* * *

Rachel smiled to herself as she and Jesse arrived at Cravings. She would always remember the first time Jesse had brought her here: their first date.

"Are you going to tell me what has you smiling so much this morning?" Jesse teased.

Rachel smiled up at her boyfriend.

"I was just thinking about the last time we were here."

"You were surprised that I paid attention when you told me that you were a vegan."

"I was," Rachel agreed. "You still surprise me sometimes."

Jesse chuckled as he held open the door for her.

"Why is that?"

Rachel waited until Jesse was once again at her side before she answered.

"I never expected to meet someone like you, Jess. Not here, not now."

"I didn't either, but I know this is right. Even though neither of us expected to meet the other, I won't deny that we're meant to be together."

Rachel hugged her boyfriend tightly in response before she let him lead her through another set of doors and into the restaurant.

* * *

"How was breakfast?" Shelby asked as she saw Rachel walk into Carmel's auditorium.

"The food was great, but I sort of miss having breakfast at home, too," Rachel answered as she handed her mother one of the coffee cups she'd been holding.

"Where's Jesse?" Shelby wondered.

"Outside talking to Blaine."

"I want your opinion on something, as the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline."

"Okay," Rachel answered, unsure what exactly it was her mother wanted.

Shelby handed her daughter a piece of paper with three songs written on it.

"Regionals?" Rachel wondered.

"Yes. I'll get Jesse's opinion too, but one of the songs is sort of a surprise for him, so I wanted your opinion first," Shelby answered.

Rachel scanned the list quickly, smiling when she came to the final song.

"That's the song Jesse was practically begging you to let him sing."

Shelby smiled and nodded.

"It is. He's put a lot of time and effort into the team over the last few years; I was hoping this would be a good way to sort of repay him for that."

"He'll be thrilled, I'm sure."

"What will I be thrilled about?" Jesse asked as he walked over to where Rachel and Shelby were standing.

"The set list," Rachel answered, handing the piece of paper to him.

Jesse nodded in satisfaction as he read the titles of the first two songs. When he saw the title of the third song, he wasn't sure if Shelby was serious or not.

"You're letting me perform that song?" Jesse asked a little incredulously.

"Yes. Consider it a sort of thank you for everything you've done for the team over the last few years."

"Thanks, Shelby," Jesse said as he handed the piece of paper back to her.

"Just don't make me regret my decision."

"I'm sure he won't," Rachel said before she grabbed Jesse's hand and led him down the aisle to their seats.

* * *

"So Rachel really has no idea that Jesse has surprises planned for her?" Blaine asked Kurt as they walked out of rehearsal together.

Kurt watched his best friend as she and Jesse walked to his Rover.

"Nope. If she has, she hasn't let on. I've known Rachel for a while, though, so if she knew, I'd be able to tell."

"You can tell by her body language?" Blaine guessed.

Kurt laughed as he shook his head.

"No. Well, I probably could, but I wouldn't need to. She'd swear me to secrecy, since she wouldn't be able to resist telling me."

"Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"

Surprised by the sudden change of subject, Kurt thought for a moment before he answered.

"Not that I know of, why?"

"I still need to get Rachel a present, so I was hoping you could help me with that and then we could get something to eat afterwards."

"Sure, sounds good," Kurt readily agreed with a smile.

"Great," Blaine said, returning the smile.

* * *

"Do you want to start our musical night now or wait until after dinner?" Jesse asked as he and Rachel arrived back home.

Rachel grabbed Jesse's wrist to look at his watch before she answered.

"I can check with Daddy, but we should have enough time for one movie before dinner."

"Before you do that, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about," Jesse started.

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked, concerned.

Jesse chuckled and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Everything is fine, drama queen, I just want your opinion on something."

"Okay."

Jesse was silent as he led Rachel upstairs and into his room. When he'd shut the door behind his girlfriend, he began to talk.

"How would you feel about me inviting my sister to dinner tomorrow?"

"I think she'd like that, for starters. She seems to really be making an effort to show you she means what she says about being part of your life again as well. She did apologize to both you and my mom, and you've both accepted her apology. I'd like to meet her too."

"Do you think your dads would be okay with it?"

Rachel shrugged.

"I don't see why they wouldn't be, but we could ask them. I'm sure my mom has kept them up to date on what's going on."

"I already talked to Shelby this morning, she seemed okay with it as long as you felt comfortable with it and so did your dads."

"It's  _your_  birthday tomorrow, Jess. You should be able to invite your sister if you want."

"I know; I just don't want to give your dads any reason go take you back to Lima with them."

Rachel stood from where she'd been sitting on Jesse's bed and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You don't have to worry about that, trust me. They can clearly see how happy I am here. Most importantly, though, they trust you, Jess. I know they do. They've told me that they do. I have no intention of going back to Lima other than to visit my dads and the friends I have there, and even then I plan on bringing you with me."

Jesse wrapped his own arms around Rachel's waist and hugged her tightly before pulling back slightly and leaning down to press his lips to hers. When they ended the kiss, Rachel was the first to speak.

"My dads are probably in the kitchen, we could go talk to them now if you'd like."

After giving Rachel another kiss, Jesse took her hand and laced his fingers with hers before they made their way downstairs.

* * *

"Whatever you're making smells wonderful, Hiram," Shelby commented as she walked into the kitchen.

"I'm hoping it tastes as good as it smells. I've never made this recipe before, but thank you," Hiram returned with a smile.

"I'm a little surprised I don't hear the TV or singing yet," Leroy added.

"Jesse wanted to talk to Rachel about something, so I think they went upstairs," Shelby informed them.

"I wanted her opinion on something, and I'd like all of yours as well," Jesse said as he and Rachel walked into the room.

"I have to keep an eye on this, but I promise I'm listening," Hiram said with an encouraging smile.

"Rachel's not hurt, is she?" Leroy asked.

"Dad, Jesse just said he wanted my  _opinion_  on something. How does that translate to me being hurt?" Rachel wondered.

Leroy chuckled and then shrugged.

"Sorry, honey, force of habit, I guess."

"I want to invite my sister to dinner tomorrow," Jesse said, deciding to just get straight to the point.

"You already know my opinion on this, Jesse," Shelby spoke first. "If you want her here, then I'm perfectly fine with it. She seemed sincere when I talked to her and you've accepted her apology as well. I know you're concerned about lettering her back into not only your life, but Rachel's as well, though."

"She wouldn't physically hurt Rachel, would she?" Leroy wondered.

"No. She's aware of how I feel about Rachel, of what Rachel means to me. I just don't want to see Rachel get hurt if Genevieve decides to change her mind again."

"I told Jesse I was okay with it and that it's  _his_  birthday, so he should be able to invite whoever he wants," Rachel added.

"I'm with Rachel on this one," Hiram decided. "It's  _your_  birthday dinner, Jesse. If you want your sister there, then she should be here. You should probably warn her that my husband might have a few questions for her, though."

"It seems I'm outnumbered," Leroy said with a small laugh.

"I want this to be unanimous," Jesse insisted.

"It is," Leroy told him. "Am I concerned because I don't know your sister? Yes, but I trust you. I'm well aware of what my daughter means to you, and what you mean to her. Since this was all Rachel's idea in the first place, I'm willing to leave the guest list up to the two of you."

"You should go talk to her, or call her at least," Rachel told Jesse.

"How much time do we have before dinner?" Jesse asked.

"About a half an hour yet. We won't start without you if you want to go talk to your sister now," Hiram answered.

"Thanks," Jesse said before he and Rachel walked out of the room.

"So you'll be back soon?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse walked into the entryway.

"Do you want to go with me?" Jesse countered.

"Meet your sister now?"

"That was the idea. You don't have to if you don't want to, though."

"I want to go with you, I'm just nervous."

Jesse leaned down to kiss her softly before he spoke again.

"She'll love you, just like I do."

Rachel rewarded him with a smile before she followed him out the door, her hand still clasped tightly in his.

* * *

Genevieve had just gotten off the phone with Joel when she heard the front door open. Knowing that there was currently only one other person with a key to the house, she quickly made her way towards the entryway.

"Jesse?" she asked as she entered the room, stopping short when she noticed a petite brunette at her brother's side.

"You said I could use the key whenever…" Jesse started.

"You can, you just surprised me," Genevieve assured him.

"I can't stay long, but I wanted to invite you to the birthday dinner that Rachel arranged for tomorrow night. I also know you said you wanted to meet Rachel, and she wanted to meet you as well."

"Sure, I'll be there," Genevieve answered.

While Jesse and Genevieve talked, Rachel studied the older woman. She and Jesse had the same eyes and they both had curly hair, but that's where their similarities ended. Genevieve was a few inches shorter than her brother and had bright blonde hair that she wore to just below her shoulders. Before she could study Jesse's sister any more, she was broken out of her thoughts by Jesse saying her name.

"Sorry," Rachel said with a smile. "I was just looking at the similarities and differences between the two of you."

Genevieve returned the younger girl's smile.

"Do you see a resemblance?" she asked.

"At first glance, you two don't look very much alike, but the resemblance is there."

Genevieve nodded in agreement before she spoke again.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Rachel."

"It's nice to finally meet you, too."

"So you'll be there tomorrow night?" Jesse asked his sister.

"Yes. What time?"

"Be there by 5," Jesse answered. "Rachel convinced Shelby to end rehearsal early as long as we get through everything."

"Shelby doesn't strike me as the type to do something like that," Genevieve noted.

"She normally doesn't," Rachel answered, "but we're actually kind of ahead of schedule, plus I'm both her daughter and the female lead, so she agreed to it this time."

"How did you meet Jesse?"

Rachel shared a smile with her boyfriend before she answered.

"I don't know what all Jesse has told you, but I was originally just staying with my mom for the summer while my dads traveled. I wanted to get to know her better and have more opportunities to spend time with her, so instead of staying home alone in Lima, my dads agreed to let me stay here in Akron for the summer. Jesse came over one day to get some sheet music my mom had picked up for him, but she was on the phone when he arrived so out of habit, she told him to go on back to the music room. She didn't know I was there, trying to find a musical to watch while she taught piano lessons later in the day. He surprised me by suggesting a musical and we sort of just hit it off from there."

Before anyone could say anything else, the alarm on Jesse's watch went off.

"I set it so we wouldn't be late for dinner," he explained.

"It was nice meeting you, Rachel. I'll see you both tomorrow night," Genevieve said as Jesse opened the door.

Rachel and Jesse both nodded and exchanged goodnights with Genevieve before they walked back to the house they both considered to be their home now.

* * *

After dinner, Rachel and Jesse settled in the living room to start their musical night.

"What do you want to watch first?" Jesse asked.

Rachel scanned the various movies in front of her before she picked one up and handed it to her boyfriend.

"This one," she said.

" _Funny Lady_ , huh?" Jesse teased as he put the movie in.

"Well we just watched  _Funny Girl_ , so naturally the sequel should be next."

"Of course."

"Do you not want to watch it?" Rachel asked.

Jesse laughed and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I was just teasing you. As long as you watch it with me, I really don't mind."

Rachel curled into Jesse's side, resting her head on his chest before she spoke again.

"Good."

Jesse chuckled and then wrapped his arms tighter around Rachel, smiling to himself when she wrapped her arm around his waist as she got comfortable. Neither was aware of the three sets of eyes watching them from further back in the room.

"Does he always give her whatever she wants?" Leroy asked Shelby.

"Pretty much. There's little they don't agree on, though."

"I think it's sweet," Hiram said from beside his husband.

"I agree with Hiram," Shelby put in.

"I guess I'm outnumbered again, then," Leroy said with a mock sigh.

Shelby nodded and shared a smile with Hiram before she made her way upstairs to her own room.

* * *

As the ending credits of  _Funny Lady_  rolled on the screen, Jesse noticed Rachel now had her eyes closed.

"Tired, Rach?" he asked, aware she was only half-asleep.

Rachel reluctantly nodded.

"I wanted to watch more musicals, though."

"We'll watch more this weekend. If you're tired, you should sleep. I did wake you up earlier than normal this morning."

"It was worth it, though. It was sort of like re-creating our first date," Rachel insisted as she stood.

Jesse turned off the DVD player and the TV before he took Rachel's hand and led her upstairs.

"Meet me in about 15 minutes?" she asked once they had reached her bedroom door.

"Sure," Jesse agreed, leaning down to give her a quick kiss.

Rachel smiled as she walked into her room, deciding to skip everything but the necessities of her routine tonight. Jesse was right, she was tired and she really just wanted to sleep, but she also knew that she shouldn't skip her routine if she could help it.

* * *

When she walked out of her bathroom a short while later, Rachel smiled as she noticed that Jesse was already waiting for her.

"How long have you been in here?" Rachel wondered as she climbed into bed beside him.

"Not long, a few minutes maybe," Jesse answered as Rachel settled in his arms.

"I made you cut your routine short, didn't I?"

Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm tired, too, Rach, so I was planning on just the necessities anyway. Don't worry about it."

Rachel nodded before she tilted her face up for a kiss.

"I love you, Rach. Sweet dreams," Jesse said softly as Rachel settled her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, too, Jess," Rachel responded sleepily as she closed her eyes.

Jesse pressed another kiss to the top of his girlfriend's head before resting his head on hers and joining her in dreamland. For the first time in far too long, he was actually looking forward to his birthday. While the money he'd receive tomorrow would be nice, it didn't compare to the feeling of knowing that he'd found his soul mate and he would be able to spend the day with her. Even though he would have been perfectly content to simply spend more time alone with her, he was genuinely looking forward to everything she had planned for him. He hoped that she would like the surprises that he had in store for her as well.


	14. Chapter 14

The morning of Jesse's birthday, Rachel found herself waking first, full of excitement for the day.

"Jess, wake up," she insisted, nudging his shoulder this time rather than poking him as she had a tendency to do.

"Rach, it's still dark out, go back to sleep," Jesse insisted.

Rachel giggled before she nudged his shoulder again.

"Please?"

Jesse opened his eyes and glanced over Rachel's shoulder at her clock. While it wasn't  _that much_  earlier than they normally woke, it was still earlier than he would have liked. Turning his attention to his apparently wide-awake girlfriend, Jesse raised an eyebrow at her.

"Happy birthday," she said with a grin.

Jesse returned her smile as he leaned closer to her.

"Do I get to claim my first present of the day, then?"

Instead of answering, Rachel simply closed the distance and pressed her lips to his, smiling into the kiss when he pulled her closer.

"Let's just hope our teammates are willing to be especially cooperative today," Jesse said once they'd ended the kiss.

"Do they know that rehearsal is supposed to end early?" Rachel wondered, honestly not sure if her mother had told the rest of the team or not.

"Well, Kurt and Blaine obviously know, but other than that, I'm not sure."

"I guess we'll find out then. Can we stop for coffee before rehearsal?"

Jesse brushed his lips with Rachel's before he answered.

"Sure. You arranged pretty much this entire day for me, the least I can do in return is buy you coffee."

"You shouldn't have to on your birthday, I can buy my own coffee," Rachel protested.

"I know, but I want to," Jesse insisted.

"We could make a deal."

"A deal, huh? What kind of deal are we talking about?"

"You let me cook for you sometime soon, and I'll let you buy me coffee."

"Why wouldn't I let you?" Jesse wondered.

"We haven't exactly had a lot of free time lately," Rachel reminded him.

"That's true. What happens if I don't agree to this deal?"

Rachel smiled innocently at her boyfriend before she answered his question.

"I'll cook for you anyway."

"Then what's the deal for if you're just going to do it anyway?" Jesse asked with a laugh.

"Because I like making deals with you. They always work out for both of us."

"That's very true."

"So do we have a deal?"

"We do."

"Good. I love you, Jess."

"I love you, too, Rach," Jesse whispered as he leaned in to kiss once more before they both started their morning routines.

* * *

When she arrived in the kitchen a short while later, Rachel was surprised to find she had gotten there before Jesse.

"Am I just unusually fast this morning or is Jesse running late?" Rachel wondered as she grabbed some fruit and joined her mother at the table.

"I haven't seen him this morning, so I'm not sure," Shelby answered.

"It's not like him to be late for anything."

"I wouldn't worry about it, baby. I'm sure he'll be here soon enough."

Deciding to take her mother's word that Jesse would soon make his appearance, Rachel asked her the same question she'd asked Jesse earlier.

"Does the rest of the team know about rehearsal ending early, as long as everything goes well?"

"No. I'm sure between you, Jesse, Kurt, and Blaine, you can convince the rest of the team to continue the effort they've been putting in the last few days. It seems like a good day for surprises, so I thought I'd keep it between us and surprise the rest of the team," Shelby told her with a smile.

Rachel returned her mother's smile and nodded before she noticed the catalog open on the table.

"What's that for?" she asked.

"Regionals. Since we have the set list picked out, I figured ordering the outfits wouldn't hurt."

"Did you find anything you like?"

Shelby shook her head.

"No. I was going to have you and Jesse look through it, see if you find anything that would go over well with the whole team."

"Sure," Rachel said as she slid the catalog towards her.

Just as she was looking through the outfits on the last page, she heard Jesse take a seat next to her and felt him press a kiss to her cheek.

"What took you so long?" she asked, flipping the catalog closed.

"Genevieve called. She had questions about tonight. Most of which I couldn't really answer, but I tried. I forgot how picky about her wardrobe she is."

"Isn't that a little of the pot calling the kettle black?" Shelby teased.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jesse retorted with a grin as he began to flip through the catalog Rachel had passed to him.

"I'm sure you don't," Rachel agreed with a shake of her head.

Shelby laughed as she stood and began to clean up.

"I'm not sure how I survived mornings without the two of you to entertain me."

Rachel and Jesse shared a grin before they joined in Shelby's laughter.

* * *

As the last notes of the final Sectionals number carried through Carmel's auditorium, Shelby couldn't help but smile. Her team sounded better than ever. Rachel and Jesse were fantastic co-leads, both pushing and helping their teammates to be the best they could be. It was part of the reason she'd seriously considered Rachel's request to end rehearsal early. Even with the knowledge that the numbers would most likely need to be re-worked a bit once the new members were admitted, Shelby was very happy with how the numbers looked and sounded. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone saying her name.

"Shelby," Emma repeated, after unsuccessfully trying to get her friend's attention the last few times she'd tried.

Shelby blinked a couple of times before her friend came into focus.

"Sorry, Emma," she said. "I guess I got lost in thought."

"That's okay. All the numbers sound great, by the way. You were just starting the first song when I got here and I didn't want to interrupt."

"Is everything okay?" Shelby asked.

"Yes. This somehow got into my stuff, but I'm pretty sure it belongs to you," Emma explained, handing Shelby the new catalog.

"I was wondering why I hadn't received this yet. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I have a meeting with two more transfer students and their parents in just a few minutes so I need to get going, but I have to say, I think your team sounds better than ever."

"I'll pass that along to them, thank you."

"Bye, Shelby, have a good day," Emma said cheerfully before she left the auditorium.

Turning her attention back to her team, who were now talking amongst themselves on the stage, Shelby stood and began to walk towards them.

"You're not going to yell at us, are you?" Sasha asked as Shelby stepped onto the stage.

"No. Ms. Pillsbury-Howell just gave me the catalog I've been waiting for. I know none of you were particularly pleased with the costume choices in the last one, so I'll let you all look through this and see if you find anything you like," she explained as she set the catalog on top of the nearby piano.

* * *

A short while later, after everyone had gotten a chance to look through the catalog, the costume for Regionals was chosen. After marking the page, Shelby turned to her team once more.

"Since you've all been working so diligently and we accomplished everything I wanted to today, I'm going to let you all enjoy the nice day by letting you out of rehearsal early."

"Are you serious?" Sasha asked.

"Yes. We still have rehearsal this weekend, though, so behave yourselves, and I'll see you all tomorrow morning," Shelby answered calmly.

"Thanks, Shelby!" various members of Vocal Adrenaline chorused as they grabbed their things and made their exits.

Once the rest of the team was gone, Rachel turned to her mother.

"No more than a half an hour or I'll come back and get you myself," she said.

"I'll be home within a half an hour, I promise. I just have a couple of things that I need to do before Monday and then I'll be home," Shelby assured her daughter.

Satisfied with that answer, Rachel turned to her best friend.

"Did you drive or do you need a ride?"

"I have everything I need with me; I just need to shower before dinner. My aunt dropped me off this morning, since she had some work to do here anyway. I just need to let her know I don't need a ride to your house, if it's okay if I tag along with you and Jesse," Kurt answered.

Rachel tilted her head up to look at her boyfriend, who appeared to be lost in thought.

"Jess," she said, getting his attention.

"Sorry, just thinking," he said with a smile before he turned to Kurt. "You're more than welcome to tag along with Rachel and me. Blaine is tagging along, too, so you won't be the only one. Let's go find your aunt so we can get going."

"Half an hour," Rachel reminded her mother as she walked off stage with Jesse, Kurt, and Blaine.

Shelby smiled and nodded, following the foursome off the stage and walking into her nearby office.

* * *

"Aunt Melinda?" Kurt called as he, Blaine, Rachel, and Jesse walked into his aunt's classroom, where she'd told him she'd be.

Melinda looked up from the syllabus she'd been looking over and smiled at her nephew.

"Hi, Kurt. Shelby let you out early?"

"Yeah. Jesse said he'd give me a ride, so I don't have to interrupt your work."

"It would be a welcome interruption, trust me," Melinda answered with a laugh. "I know Jesse, but I'm afraid I'm not acquainted with your other friends."

"Can't you guess who she is?" Kurt asked, nodding his head towards Rachel.

Melinda studied the petite brunette for a moment. Judging from the way she and Jesse were standing, as well as the fact that she did look like a softer version of Shelby, it didn't take her long to figure it out.

"You're Rachel, Shelby's daughter," she guessed, earning a smile from Rachel.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Burns," Rachel said politely.

"Melinda is fine, except in class. You're my nephew's best friend and the daughter of one of my good friends."

"This is Blaine," Kurt said, finishing the introductions.

"Hello, Blaine, it's nice to finally meet you," Melinda greeted.

"It's nice to meet you as well," Blaine replied with a smile.

"Do you need a ride home?" Melinda asked her nephew.

"Probably. I'll call you."

"Just give me a call on my cell phone when you know; I have a few errands to run once I'm done here. Dean will be home all night, so if you can't reach me, try him at home."

Kurt hugged his aunt quickly.

"Thanks," he told her before returning to his friends.

Melinda smiled and nodded as she watched her nephew leave with his friends and the boy she was well aware he had a crush on.

* * *

"Why are we not telling Rachel we're here again?" Puck wondered as he and Santana lounged in Shelby's living room, waiting for her to get home from rehearsal.

"Jesse said he wanted to surprise her," Santana explained. "Which is why we also took my car and not your truck. Rachel would recognize that in a heartbeat. She hasn't seen my new car yet, so she probably won't think anything of it."

"I want to meet this St. James kid, make sure he's treating her right."

Santana rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"I know you think of Rachel as your  _hermanita_ , but Kurt has assured you many times that Jesse is crazy about Rachel."

"I want to see for myself," Puck insisted.

" _Por supuesto, que sí_. Of course, you do."

Before either teen could say anything else, they heard the front door open, emitting four voices-two familiar and two unknown.

* * *

"Everything is ready for tonight, right?" Rachel asked her boyfriend as they walked into the house, Kurt and Blaine not far behind them.

"Yes. You can double check if you'd like, though," Jesse answered with a small chuckle.

"I think I will," Rachel said, turning to walk into the living room, stopping short and unable to say anything when she saw who was waiting for her.

"You know," Santana said to her boyfriend. "For a  _teatrera_ , she's awfully quiet."

Puck nodded in agreement just before Rachel finally found her voice. Squealing in delight, Rachel quickly hugged both of her friends.

"Noah! Santana! What are you doing here?" she wondered. "Not that I'm not happy to see you."

"Thank your  _novio_ ," Santana told her.

Rachel turned to Jesse, who smiled at her and nodded.

"Thank you," Rachel said as she hugged him tightly.

"Anything for you, Rach," Jesse responded, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"But it's  _your_ birthday, not mine," Rachel said softly.

Jesse pressed a kiss to her forehead before he spoke again.

"I know, but you've done so much to make this, without a doubt, the best birthday I've ever had. I was trying to figure out a way to thank you when I overheard Shelby and your dads talking about finding a time for Puck and Santana to visit before we start school on Tuesday."

Rachel smiled gratefully before she turned her attention back to her friends. A few minutes after introductions were made, she spoke again.

"We all need to shower and change, but the music room is down the hall if you want to check that out. I'm sure my dads already told you to make yourselves comfortable, so you can watch TV or whatever, too," she said.

"Music room?" Santana asked.

Rachel nodded.

"I'll show you," Leroy said as he entered the room.

Rachel pressed a kiss to her father's cheek.

"Thanks, Dad. We'll be back down in a little bit."

Santana and Puck watched as the other four teens left the room, with Puck keeping his eyes on Rachel and Jesse while Santana observed Kurt and Blaine more carefully. Once the foursome was out of sight, the two remaining teens followed Leroy down the hall.

"There's a piano, a guitar, and various other musical instruments, plus pretty much any piece of sheet music related to show choir or musicals," Leroy explained as he opened the door.

While Santana perused the various pieces of sheet music, Puck inspected the guitar.

"If I had an unlimited amount of money, this is the acoustic guitar I'd get," he said he picked it up.

"No wonder Rachel likes this room so much. It pretty much has her name written all over it," Santana said, studying a particular piece of music.

"She and Jesse are in here pretty much on a daily basis for at least some amount of time," Leroy said, leaning against the doorjamb.

"She loves him," Santana said, handing the music to her boyfriend.

Leroy nodded in agreement.

"Yes, she does. The feeling is mutual, trust me. I know you both worry about her, and you think of her as your sister, Noah, but I can assure you Jesse would never do anything to hurt her."

"He seems okay," Puck admitted with a shrug.

"Exactly how I felt at first. You can go ahead and play the guitar by the way, Shelby won't mind."

Puck nodded before he began to play a familiar song. With a smile on his face, Leroy left the two teens alone in the room and walked back to the kitchen, where his husband was currently double checking to make sure he had everything he needed for dinner.

* * *

Nearly a half an hour after she'd told her friends she'd be back, Rachel was still in her room, wrapped in her robe, trying to decide what to wear. The outfit she'd picked out earlier didn't seem as perfect as she'd originally thought. When she heard the knock at her door, she assumed it was her boyfriend so she called out for the person to come in. She was surprised to see her best friend standing her room instead of her boyfriend.

"Jesse sent me," Kurt admitted with a grin. "He said you could probably use my help more than his."

Rachel laughed and nodded as Kurt closed the door.

"Help," she said simply, gesturing to her closet.

"I think Blaine and I went out on a date," Kurt admitted as he picked out various items for Rachel to choose from.

"You  _think_  you did?" Rachel asked, examining each choice Kurt made.

Kurt nodded, tossing another skirt onto the bed.

"Blaine asked me to help him pick out a present for Jesse. Although I have to admit I don't know why. Anyway, he suggested we could also get dinner afterwards, which we did."

"Did he kiss you?" Rachel wondered as Kurt walked over to stand beside her.

"No," Kurt said with a sigh, making Rachel giggle.

"I didn't realize my first date with Jesse was a date until afterwards," Rachel admitted, studying the choices laid out on her bed.

"Maybe I'm reading too much into things. Friends go out to eat all the time," Kurt said with a sigh.

Rachel picked up a black skirt and a light blue blouse, held them up for Kurt's approval.

"Yes to the skirt, no to the blouse," he said.

"You know," Rachel said as she studied two more of the shirts Kurt had lain out on her bed. " _You_  could always ask  _him_  out."

"What if he says no?"

"I doubt he will."

"I'll think about it."

After finally settling on a sapphire blue button down blouse and the black skirt, Rachel went into her bathroom to quickly change. Once she'd run her fingers through her already curling hair one more time, she and Kurt made their way downstairs to join the rest of their friends downstairs.

* * *

As she and Kurt walked towards the music room, where she was sure the others were, they both heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it, you go find Blaine," Rachel said with a grin before she turned around to answer the door.

Kurt nodded, walking the rest of the way down the hall. Not bothering to look out the window next to the door, Rachel immediately opened it.

"I know I'm a little early-" Genevieve started once Rachel had opened the door.

Rachel smiled encouragingly at the woman she was sure would one day be her sister-in-law.

"It's okay. What do you have there?"

"I called here earlier, talked to one of your dads, asked if there was anything I could bring. He said he hadn't had a chance to make Jesse a cake, wasn't sure if he wanted one, but I could make that if I wanted. It's the first time I made one using vegan-friendly substitutes, so if it tastes horribly, I'm sorry," she said, the words rushing out all strung together.

"Breathe," Rachel said, taking the cake from Genevieve's hands, which were currently shaking with nerves.

Genevieve closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she opened them and smiled gratefully at Rachel.

"Thanks, I needed that. I was just so surprised when Jesse invited me last night, and I want to make a good impression with the rest of your family."

"I was nervous about meeting you," Rachel admitted.

"You were?" Genevieve asked, clearly surprised.

"You and Jesse were close once, and I have a feeling you will be again soon. I'm already well aware that your parents don't like me, and I've made peace with that, but you're his sister, I wanted you to like me."

"You make my brother happier than I've ever seen him. I don't know you very well yet, but I'd like to."

Rachel smiled at the older girl.

"I'd like that, too. You look very pretty, by the way."

Genevieve looked down at her dark jeans and teal colored top.

"Thanks. It took me forever to pick this out, though I have no idea why."

"I know what you mean. Kurt, my best friend, helped me with my outfit. Come on, I'll introduce you to my dads."

Genevieve followed her brother's girlfriend down the hall, smiling a little when she heard the familiar laughter of both Jesse and Blaine. Walking into the kitchen, Genevieve had no idea what it was she smelled, but she immediately liked it.

"Dad, Daddy," Rachel said, getting her fathers' attention.

Hiram and Leroy turned at the sound of their daughter's voice, immediately noticing the taller woman beside her.

"You must be Genevieve. I can see the resemblance," Hiram said, the first to speak. "I'm Hiram Berry and this is my husband, Leroy."

"She brought cake, made with vegan-friendly substitutes," Rachel told them, setting the container holding the cake on the counter.

"Did my recipe work?" Hiram wondered.

"I hope so," Genevieve answered with a small laugh.

"If it was his recipe, I'm sure it will be delicious. I'm sure you're eager to see your brother so we won't keep you, but thank you for offering to make the cake," Leroy told her.

"It was no problem."

* * *

When she walked into the music room, Rachel saw Puck and Jesse with their heads bent over a piece of music while Santana, Kurt, and Blaine were looking through the various musicals. With a smile, she made her way over to her boyfriend's side.

"You look gorgeous," Jesse said, bending his head towards her to press a kiss to her temple.

Rachel blushed a little as she smiled at her boyfriend.

"Satan and I have news," Puck said, getting his friend's attention.

"What's that?" Rachel wondered.

"We'll be joining you at Carmel on Tuesday," Santana said as she walked over.

"Really? How?" Rachel wondered.

"Our moms got promoted to positions in the new wing of the hospital here in Akron. Since my dad isn't around and Satan's got a job at the hospital as well, we moved. We live across town and our places aren't nearly as fancy as this one," Puck explained.

"Are you going to play football?"

"Try outs are on Tuesday, we'll see. Carmel's team is ten times better than McKinley's, so it's not like I have a guarenteed spot on the team or anything," Puck answered with a shrug.

"Same with their cheerleading squad," Santana put in. "Your show choir seems pretty cool, too, but I don't know if I can do both."

"Shelby might be willing to be flexible, if you put in work on your own time and keep up with everything," Jesse said with a shrug.

"That's weird that you call her by her first name," Puck said.

"She's Ms. Corcoran in class, but Shelby in rehearsal," Jesse explained.

Puck and Santana nodded in understanding as Kurt and Blaine made their way over to the rest of the group.

"Are we going to stand around and talk, or can we sing at some point?" Kurt wondered.

"Will you play something?" Rachel asked her boyfriend.

Jesse chuckled as he led Rachel over to the piano with him.

"Sure, but I get to choose the song."

After nods of agreement from the rest of the group, Jesse played the opening notes of the song as he sang along.

 _Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try_  
No hell below us, above it's only sky  
Imagine all the people  
Living for today

Standing next to his cousin, Blaine opted to sing the next verse while the rest of the group sang back up, with Puck playing along on the guitar.

 _Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do_  
No need to kill or die for and no religions too  
Imagine all the people  
Living life in peace

With a slight smile on his face, Kurt sang the first chorus.

 _You may say I'm a dreamer_  
But I'm not the only one  
I hope someday you'll join us  
And the world will live as one

From her seat next to Jesse at the piano, Rachel sang the following verse.

 _Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can_  
No need for greed or hunger a brotherhood of man  
Imagine all the people  
Sharing for the world

Taking her cue from Rachel, Santana sang the second chorus.

 _You may say I'm a dreamer_  
But I'm not the only one  
I hope someday you'll join us  
And the world will live as one

At Jesse's nod, Puck sang the last chorus.

 _You may say I'm a dreamer_  
But I'm not the only one  
Take my hand and join us  
And the world will live, will live as one…

* * *

Hiram smiled to himself as he heard the opening notes of  _Imagine_  drift down the hall.

"Is that Jesse?" Genevieve asked Shelby, who she'd been talking with for the last few minutes.

Shelby smiled and nodded.

"I suppose it's been a while since you've heard him sing."

"Too long," Genevieve agreed.

"I'm sure he'll be singing more later as well," Leroy put in from his spot beside his husband.

"What do you mean?" Genevieve asked.

"Rachel and Jesse like to sing along to the musicals, sometimes even mute the sound and just sing the songs themselves," Shelby explained.

"That sounds like my brother. He used to do that when we were younger, too. Drove our parents crazy, which is sort of why I think he started doing it," Genevieve said with a smile.

"Now  _that_  sounds like Jesse. I remember Rachel telling me she'd never met anyone else who sang along to the musicals, until Jesse came along."

Before anyone could say anything else, they all heard the doorbell ring.

"That's probably Janelle and Kevin," Shelby said, standing to go let them in.

"If you don't mind us asking," Leroy began once he and Hiram were alone with Genevieve, "What made you decide to re-enter Jesse's life?"

"I never meant to leave it in the first place. It's my own fault we lost touch. I kept putting off contacting him, thinking I would have more time the next day…" Genevieve said as she began to explain the answer to Leroy's question.

* * *

Just as she'd finished her story, she heard what could only be described as a commotion enter the kitchen. Shelby, Janelle, and Kevin entered the room first, followed closely by the six teenagers, three of whom she didn't recognize.

"Hi," Jesse said as he walked over to his sister and gave her a hug.

"Happy Birthday," she said with a smile.

"Thanks."

"I recognize Rachel and Blaine, but I don't know the rest of your friends."

"The boy standing between Rachel and Blaine is Kurt, her best friend. The other two are Santana and Puck, Rachel's friends from Lima."

Genevieve studied her cousin for a moment before she turned back to her brother.

"Does he like Kurt?"

"He hasn't said anything to me as of yet, but I'm pretty sure he does."

"I think they'd be cute together."

"Rachel says the same thing. I told her she couldn't interfere, although she wants to."

Genevieve smiled at her brother.

"She just wants her best friend to be as happy as she is."

"I'm glad someone finally sees it my way," Rachel said with a laugh as she walked up to Jesse and slid her arm around his waist as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Dinner ready?" he asked.

"Yes. It smells delicious and I'm hungry, so let's eat."

Jesse chuckled as he and Genevieve followed Rachel over to the table. Taking a seat between his sister and his girlfriend, Jesse couldn't help but smile. Not only had he found the girl of his dreams, who he wasn't sure actually existed until he met her, but she had already made his birthday the best one he could remember. She had planned this dinner, encouraged him to invite his sister, who she also seemed to instantly get along with, and after dinner they would be enjoying some of their favorite musicals with their friends. He couldn't wait.

* * *

**A/N: Here are the translations for what Santana says in Spanish:**

**_hermanita = little sister_ **

**__Por supuesto, que sí_  = of course, you do_ **

**__teatrera_  = drama queen_ **

**__novio_  = boyfriend_ **


	15. Chapter 15

After dinner had been cleared away, Jesse was surprised to see Hiram and Leroy heading back to the table carrying plates with cake on them.

"You made cake, too?" Jesse asked Hiram as he set a piece in front of him.

Hiram smiled at his future son-in-law.

"No. It's my recipe, but your sister made it."

"You bake?" Jesse asked his sister.

Genevieve shrugged, a bit unsure about her brother's reaction.

"Not very often anymore, and I'm no expert like I'm sure Hiram is, but I can make a few things. Cake happens to be one of them."

"It's good," Jesse said after taking his first bite of the cake.

Rachel nodded in agreement from beside him.

"I think you did a wonderful job, Genevieve."

"Thank you," she said with a slight smile.

"Thanks for making this, Gen," Jesse said, once again using the nickname almost unconsciously.

"I wanted to do something to help tonight, so when I called earlier and talked to who I now know is Hiram, asking if there was anything I could help with for tonight, he suggested a cake and gave me his recipe," Genevieve explained.

"Are you sure there're vegan substitutes in this?" Puck asked from across the table.

Genevieve smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Doesn't taste like it," Puck continued, earning laughter from everyone else at the table.

"It's not supposed to, Noah," Hiram said, the first to recover.

"I think I may have to steal your cake, St. James," Puck told Jesse.

"Go right ahead," Jesse retorted, "She's my sister, she'll just make me another one if I ask."

"He has you there," Santana added.

"Quiet, Satan," Puck retorted, earning more laughter from the group.

* * *

"All right, Jesse, which present do you want to open first?" Leroy asked after everyone had settled in the living room.

Jesse shrugged and then turned to his girlfriend.

"Do I need to open them in any particular order?"

Rachel giggled softly as she shook her head.

"No, you don't."

"I guess we'll go with this one, since it's closest," Jesse decided, picking up a bag that was currently sitting next to his feet.

Rachel smiled as she watched Jesse open his various presents. He received the new watch he'd been wanting from Shelby; A DVD entitled  _Show Business: the Road to Broadway_ , along with an iTunes gift card, from Kurt and Blaine; a deluxe edition of  _Across the Universe_ from his aunt and uncle, and  _Broadway Musicals, Revised and Updated: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time_  from Rachel.

"If we had known it was your birthday, we would have gotten you something," Santana explained with a shrug.

"You agreeing to surprise Rachel is good enough for me," Jesse answered, earning a smile from everyone in the room.

"Hiram and I did get something for you, but we couldn't exactly wrap it," Leroy explained, earning a confused expression from both Rachel and Jesse.

"You never mentioned anything about a present, Dad," Rachel said, very clearly just as confused as her boyfriend was.

"Your Mom was in on it, too," Hiram continued, "Since it's sort of for both of you."

"I'm lost," Jesse admitted.

"Where is it?" Rachel asked.

"Follow me," Shelby instructed, waiting for Rachel and Jesse to reach her before she began to walk down the hall towards the basement door.

"Why is it in the basement?" Kurt wondered.

"Good question," Blaine answered, walking beside Kurt as they followed the group downstairs.

Once everyone had gathered in the basement, Leroy turned on the rest of the basement lights, revealing Jesse's last present. The basement had been re-done and split into two sections. One with a stage, complete with microphones, instruments and a karaoke machine, and another set up like a sort of mini movie theater. It had couches instead of seats, and the projector was hooked up to a DVD player, but there were fabric and speakers on the wall just like in a real theater.

"No way," Kurt muttered, the first of the teens to speak.

"Happy Birthday, Jesse," Shelby said with a smile, amused at the fact that Jesse seemed speechless.

"How? Why?" Jesse asked, trying to find his voice.

"Leroy and I did most of this while you were at rehearsal. Since Shelby hadn't finished the basement yet, you two never looked down here, so we didn't have to worry about you two coming across it by accident," Hiram started.

"You know very well I already think of you as my son, and Rachel is my daughter, so I wanted to do something special for you both. Plus, the two of you have united the team in a way I'd only dreamed about. I was actually planning this for Rachel's birthday in December, since I didn't think I'd have time to get it done before then. I mentioned it to Hiram and Leroy, and they said they would pitch in and help. I know how much you two like your musical marathons, and with more people I'm sure to join, it made more sense to let you have your own space for that, as well as any performances you'd like to put on. This way you don't have to move any furniture or anything like that as well," Shelby finished.

Jesse hugged Shelby as Rachel hugged her fathers.

"Thanks. For everything," he said with a bit of a shaky smile.

"You deserve to have your birthday be a special day, but most of all, you  _deserve_  to be  _happy_ , Jesse. Don't let anyone ever tell you differently," Shelby replied.

Jesse looked over to Rachel, who was still talking excitedly with her dads, before he turned back to Shelby.

" _She_  makes me happy."

"Everything okay?" Genevieve asked, noticing the look that had flashed across her brother's face moments earlier.

"I was just telling Jesse that he deserves to be happy, and he shouldn't let anyone tell him otherwise," Shelby explained.

"It's true," Genevieve agreed. "I know Dad called you today. He was mad you didn't answer so I'm sure he left you an equally nasty message."

"What else is new," Jesse said with a shrug.

"Jesse, you have an incredible girl who loves you for exactly who you are. You told me yourself how happy she makes you. Don't you dare think for even a minute that you don't deserve her or any of other things that make you happy. Mom and Dad are first-class snobs, you know that. Dad loves to tear people down, his children included. Now you're 18, and you don't need them for anything anymore. I checked with the lawyer right after I got off the phone with Dad. Your trust fund was deposited into your bank account this morning and there's nothing Dad can do to get it back. He set up the trust funds long before we could even talk."

"He said they wouldn't pay for college. They're using the money to buy some new house in Bali," Jesse told her.

"So we'll get you a full-ride scholarship. It's not like you don't have the talent to earn one," Shelby insisted.

"But what if I don't get one? The schools I want to go to aren't exactly cheap. They'd go through my trust fund in no time, I really don't want to deal with the whole student loans thing, and with all of things I want to be involved with on campus, finding and mainting a job would be rather difficult."

"We'll figure it out soon enough. Right now, you should enjoy your birthday. Have fun with your girlfriend and your friends."

Jesse looked around the room, trying to spot his girlfriend again. She was now talking animatedly with Kurt, who seemed to be talking in the same manner. As if she felt him looking at her, she lifted her head and winked at him.

Jesse was smiling when he turned to his sister.

"Thanks for the cake, and for coming to dinner," he told her.

"You're welcome. I need to get going, since I unfortunately didn't get all my work done today," Genevieve replied.

"I'll walk you out," Shelby said, smiling when she saw Jesse hug his sister again.

"Happy Birthday, little brother," Genevieve whispered to herself, watching as Jesse joined Rachel and the rest of their friends near the projector before following Shelby upstairs.

* * *

Just as Genevieve had suspected, Shelby wanted to more about what Martin had said in the voicemail to Jesse.

"I only know some of what he said. You'll have to get Jesse to play you the message, if he still has it. I know he tried to get to Jesse's trust fund, but he couldn't so that just proceeded to piss him off even more," Genevieve explained.

Shelby rolled her eyes.

"I told him to leave Jesse alone. He said he was leaving Jesse in my care and I was responsible for him now. Maybe I need to have another conversation with him."

"I already yelled at him about it. Now neither of his children are speaking to him, which is actually less than he deserves."

"What does your mother have to say about all of this?"

"She probably has no idea, and she never seemed to care when he yelled at us as kids. All she cares about is how much money and how many influential friends she has. She never wanted kids in the first place."

"So why not hire a surrogate?" Shelby wondered.

"Because it wouldn't have looked good for their  _image_. Mother carrying us and having to go through the 'torture of two deliveries', as she put it, were more than enough where she's concerned. Besides, I'm sure my father rewarded her handsomely for her troubles."

"Some mother," Shelby muttered.

"I can only hope I don't turn into her when I have kids," Genevieve said.

"Your fiancé doesn't sound like he's  _anything_  like your father, and you said yourself that you don't  _want_  to be like your parents, so I'm sure you'll be fine. I was convinced I'd be a terrible mother, even after I'd decided I wanted to be part of Rachel's life. Hiram was convinced otherwise, though."

"Why didn't you ever have any more children?" Genevieve wondered.

When Shelby was silent, Genevieve began to panic. She'd almost forgotten for a moment that this woman was Rachel's mother and Jesse had asked her not to do anything that would make her or Rachel's dads send Rachel back to Lima.

"It's okay, I just don't usually like to talk about it," Shelby answered, unknowingly stopping the other woman's minor panic attack.

"Usually?" Genevieve asked.

Shelby took a deep breath before she spoke again.

"After losing the love of my life to my own stupidity, I decided I wasn't going to have kids. Not even try to adopt. My sister was engaged by the time everything happened, and she and her then-fiancé knew they wanted kids. I was content to be the best aunt I could be. After traveling for a while, I came back to visit Sara and I saw the ad in the paper. I went to school with Hiram, but had no idea that he was half of the couple wanting a child. Since I had spoken to Leroy on the phone, I didn't have a clue until I met with them. I knew immediately I wanted to give them the child they so badly wanted. Hiram and I weren't close, but he was always there for me if I needed him, always so nice to me."

"So he has always been like that," Genevieve said with a smile.

Shelby returned the younger woman's smile and nodded in agreement.

"He has. Rachel is definitely a mixture of Hiram, Leroy, and me. She may not biologically be Leroy's, but she definitely picked up some habits from him and it doesn't make him love her any less. They're great with her."

"She seems quite attached to you as well."

"We're getting there. She was originally just supposed to stay the summer, but obviously that's changed."

"She seems to be enjoying her time here; though I have a feeling my brother has a lot to do with that."

Shelby laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I'm sure he does."

"So you never had more kids because you lost the love of your life?" Genevieve asked.

"Basically," Shelby confirmed.

"What do you mean  _lost_?"

"Now you sound like Jesse."

"Well, he  _is_  my brother."

Shelby laughed again before she answered.

"That's true. Lost as in I found him, we dated for a while and things were great, but my ex was convinced that it was he and I that were soul mates. Really we weren't, but I didn't figure that out until  _after_  things had gone sour with my then-boyfriend. By the time I worked up the courage to contact him, I saw his engagement announcement in the newspaper."

"Oh, wow. I'm so sorry, Shelby."

Shelby just shrugged.

"I try not to think about it. I have great friends in Hiram and Leroy, and I'm really enjoying having both Rachel and Jesse here. I have a niece and a nephew that I absolutely adore as well, so I really can't regret anything. I'll do whatever it takes to help Rachel and Jesse be together. They're soul mates, though I'm pretty sure they've both figured that out already."

"I definitely agree with that. Thank you for letting Jesse invite me to the dinner. It meant a lot to me to be here tonight."

Shelby smiled at the younger woman.

"It was what Jesse wanted, but you're welcome. Goodnight, Genevieve."

"Goodnight, Shelby."

After shutting the door behind Genevieve, Shelby smiled as she heard music from the basement. She had no doubt the music room would still get plenty of use, but now Rachel and Jesse had a larger space where they could spend time with their ever growing group of friends, and she could finally have her living room back. Just as she'd walked into her room, she heard her cell phone ring.

* * *

Rachel smiled as she heard Jesse walk up beside her and press a kiss to her cheek before sliding his arm around her waist.

"Okay,  _festejado_ , what are we watching first?" Santana asked.

Jesse looked at the various DVDs he'd picked, suddenly not really in the mood for any of them. He was eager to try out the new stage instead.

"Actually, I was hoping you all wouldn't mind if we tried out the new stage instead," Jesse said.

"Really?" Rachel asked excitedly.

"Yes, drama queen, really," answered with a laugh.

Rachel let out a squeal of excitement as she jumped into her boyfriend's arms. Jesse caught her easily, wrapping his arms tightly around her as he grinned.

"See?  _Te lo dije_ ," Santana said, nudging Puck in the ribs as she nodded towards Rachel and Jesse.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Puck grumbled, biting back a smile.

"Sing with me!" Rachel exclaimed, grabbing Kurt's hand and pulling him to the stage.

"Shouldn't you let  _Jesse_  try out the stage first?" Kurt asked with a laugh. "It is  _his_  birthday, after all."

"Jesse's picking the song," Rachel said, as if that explained everything.

"Come on, I haven't heard you and Rachel sing a duet yet," Blaine encouraged.

"Uh oh, I know that grin," Rachel and Blaine said in unison as they heard Jesse call out that he'd found the perfect song.

"Should I be afraid?" Kurt asked.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" Rachel asked, grinning as she grabbed Kurt's hand and practically dragged him over to where Jesse was standing.

"I promise you'll both like the song. It sort of goes with our musical night, since it's from a musical," Jesse said.

"Might as well get this over with," Kurt said, eyeing Jesse skeptically.

Rachel pressed a kiss to her boyfriend's cheek before she joined her best friend on the stage.

"Hit it!" She called playfully.

Jesse laughed as he hit the play button on the custom-created karaoke machine that was near the stage.

Immediately recognizing the music from the introduction notes, Rachel shared a grin with Kurt before she began to sing.

 _Once there was a wicked witch_  
In the lovely land of Oz  
And a wicked old, wicked old, wicked old witch that never ever was

Enjoying himself immensely, Kurt sang the next couple of lines.

_She filled the folks in munchkin land  
With terror and with dread_ **  
** _'Til one fine day from Kansas._

Linking her arm with Kurt's, Rachel joined her voice with his for the following part.

_A house fell on her head  
And the coroner pronounced her dead_

Well aware of how much Rachel loved the song, Kurt let her take the next verse.

 _And through the town the joyous news went running_  
The joyous news that the wicked old witch  
Was finally done in...

* * *

A few hours later, after all six teens had sung at least once with each other as well as couple of times as a group, they all reluctantly got ready to part.

"Are you going to audition for Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel asked Puck and Santana.

"Thinking about it," Puck answered.

"Even though I know you'll be hogging all the solos, I do enjoy dancing almost as much as singing, so I think it'd be cool. I'll sign up to audition," Santana said, earning a squeal of delight and a hug from Rachel.

"How do you  _still_  have so much  _energy_? I'm about ready to drop," Kurt wondered.

"She'll crash once you all leave," Jesse told him.

"Most likely," Rachel agreed with a laugh.

"I had fun tonight. Thanks for inviting me," Blaine said, giving hugs to both Jesse and Rachel.

"Same here," Kurt agreed.

"See you Tuesday, Berry. Be good and don't give St. James too much trouble," Puck said, leaning down to hug his friend.

Rachel giggled as she returned the hug.

"I'll try not to," she assured him.

"Come on, I'm tired  _y_   _quiero ir a dormir_ ," Santana said, pulling on Puck's arm.

"That's my cue to get Satan home before she starts biting," He said, making Rachel hide her face in her hands and Jesse chuckle.

"See you tomorrow," Kurt said as he followed Blaine, Santana, and Puck outside.

After the door had closed behind their friends, Jesse scooped Rachel up in his arms and began to walk towards the steps. Rachel smiled as she wrapped her arms securely around Jesse's neck, content to let him carry her upstairs. She  _was_  tired now that Kurt had mentioned it. She heard Jesse chuckle again as she unsuccessfully tried to stifle a yawn.

"Tired, Rach?" he asked as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Yes, very. I really just want to go to sleep. I'll probably regret it in the morning, but I just want to cuddle with you and sleep," she answered.

"No routine?" Jesse asked her.

"I really should, but I'm so tired."

"We could do them together tonight, keep each other awake," Jesse suggested, setting her down outside her door.

"I'd like that," Rachel answered. "I'll wait for you."

"Go ahead and get started, I'll just be a minute," Jesse told her, quickly brushing his lips with hers before he walked into his room to get what he needed.

* * *

Just as he'd promised, Jesse had returned a short while later, and together they had completed their routines. They both agreed to complete their nightly routines together, regardless of the fact that it took them both longer than usual since they now had each other to talk, laugh, and joke around with.

"Thank you for giving me the best birthday I've ever had," Jesse whispered as Rachel settled into his arms.

"It's the least I could do," she answered softly.

Not liking something in that tone of voice, Jesse tipped Rachel's chin up so he could look into her eyes.

"Are you okay, Rach?" he asked.

Rachel hugged him tightly.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm in a dream. I never thought I'd find you, and now that I have, I have to give you up in a year. It's not fair."

"What do you mean 'give me up in a year'?" Jesse wondered.

"You're going off to college next year. We won't get to do this every night."

Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of Rachel's head before he spoke again.

"I love you, Rachel Barbra Berry. You're my soul mate. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you. Long-distance relationships suck for the most part, but you'll be joining me in New York in a couple of years, and then we'll never have to be apart again. We'll be able to officially start our lives together."

Rachel couldn't help but smile as she pictured what Jesse was talking about.

"That sounds wonderful," she said a few moments later.

"Besides, New York and Ohio aren't too terribly far apart. We could visit on long weekends. Maybe we could even convince your mom to schedule the weekends off around when I have a long weekend," Jesse continued.

"She probably would if we asked. Maybe I can visit you, too."

"We'll figure it out when the time comes. For right now, though, we should enjoy the pretty much unlimited amount of time we get to spend together."

Rachel grinned before she leaned up to press her lips to Jesse, smiling into the kiss when he pulled her closer.

"You enjoyed your birthday?" Rachel asked once they had ended the kiss.

Jesse chuckled as he nodded.

"Yes, very much. Dinner was delicious, and I never knew my sister could bake, let alone that she'd actually  _want_  to, so that was another pleasant surprise. I would like to watch the musicals at some point, but I had a lot of fun singing with everyone."

"Well, we sang mostly show tunes, so I guess it sort of still counts as a musical night. They just weren't all from the  _same_  musical."

"Very true."

Rachel smiled as she snuggled in Jesse's arms, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I love you, Jess," she said, promptly yawning afterwards.

Jesse pressed another kiss to the top of Rachel's head before he once again tightened his arms around her.

"I love you, too, Rach," he said before resting his head on hers and promptly joining her in dreamland.

* * *

**Spanish Translations:**

**_festejado_  = birthday boy**

**_te lo dije_  = I told you**

**_y quiero ir a dormir_ = and I want to go to sleep**


	16. Chapter 16

Walking into her bedroom, Shelby sighed as she pulled the cell phone from her pocket.

"Hello?" she answered, already knowing who was calling even though she hadn't checked the caller ID.

"Why do you insist on turning  _both_  of  _my_  children against me?" Martin St. James demanded.

"I did nothing of the sort, Martin; you know that as well as I do.  _You_  are the one who drove them away. You're selfish, and you're jealous. Your children are making lives for themselves with those they love, and who love them in return, for exactly who they are. That's something you and your wife  _never_  did. You only wanted them for your own personal gain, not because you legitimately  _wanted_  children," Shelby snapped.

"Like you're much better! You were paid for your daughter!" Martin accused.

"That's low, even for you, Martin."

"You can't tell me it's not true."

"I only took the money because I was dirt poor, and both of her fathers encouraged me to take it. I put what I could away for her college fund, so don't you dare tell me I'm not any better than you. Most importantly, though, I've always  _loved_  her. She's  _never_  felt like she wasn't good enough for me or her fathers. I know for a fact that neither of your children ever felt they were good enough for you. I really don't care that you don't think my daughter is St. James material. Jesse obviously disagrees with you, and so does Genevieve."

"Leave my children alone, Shelby."

"They're both adults now, Martin, there's nothing you can do about who they choose to associate with. Jesse will continue to live here with me while he finishes out his senior year. He and Genevieve will continue to get to know each other again, and they'll probably be closer than ever because of it. Jesse is already turning out to be a fine young man, no thanks to you. Treating your children the same way you'd treat a business transaction is no way to raise a child."

"Why should I be taking any child-rearing advice from you? Your daughter never lived with you before a few months ago."

"I still helped to raise her. She's known who I am, and that I love her, from the day she was born. I generally travelled to Lima because her fathers and I agreed that it would be most beneficial for her that way. So don't you  _dare_  tell me I didn't raise my daughter. I don't understand why you continue to call and harass me, Martin. I told you I would make sure Jesse is taken care of, and I have been. I'll continue to do that. Your daughter is also well aware that I'm just a few houses down if she needs anything. I'm sorry that your children despise you, but that's  _your_  fault,  _not_   _mine_. I want you to leave me and my family alone, and that includes Jesse and Genevieve. You don't need to worry about them."

In response, Martin simply disconnected the call. Before she could do anything else, she was startled by a knock at her door. Curious as to whom it could be, she walked over and opened the door.

"Hiram," Shelby said, confusion evident in her voice.

"I overheard your conversation," he admitted. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm used to dealing with Martin St. James, trust me. But thank you for asking."

"For what it's worth, Leroy and I think you are a wonderful mother to Rachel, and like I've told you before, I never had any doubt that you would be. She always looked forward to seeing you and she was beyond excited to get the chance to spend more time with you, to be able to get to know you better."

Shelby smiled at her long-time friend.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me to hear that."

"You're very welcome. Goodnight, Shelby."

"Goodnight, Hiram," Shelby said, closing the door behind him.

* * *

The next three days passed in a blur for the Berry-Corcoran-St. James family. Shelby was busying finishing up everything she needed for the start of classes on Tuesday, as well as the open house on Monday. If Rachel was concerned about starting at a new school, she didn't show it. She seemed to be fussing with things a little more than usual, but Shelby knew that was common before she started school for the year.

Rachel and Jesse had invited their friends back over on Saturday, when they finally made use of the new movie-viewing equipment. Hiram and Leroy had left on Sunday, making sure to call Rachel when they got back to Lima. After rehearsal, followed by the open house on Monday, Shelby had come home to find that Rachel and Jesse had not only made dinner, but also managed to wash the dishes that had been in the sink. They'd left her a note as they had been downstairs watching one of Jesse's new DVDs by the time she'd gotten home.

Now it was Tuesday morning and Shelby was waiting for the two teenagers who lived with her to make their appearance. As usual, Jesse made it to the kitchen first.

"Morning," he said as he piled food onto his plate.

"Morning," Shelby replied absent-mindedly as she read over the email she'd just received from the principal.

"You seem distracted," Jesse said, sitting down across from her.

"Piper said she wants to see me right away this morning. She seemed distressed, which isn't like her," Shelby said, referring to Carmel's principal, Piper Hawthorne.

"Usually it's Vice-Principal Henderson who's distressed," Jesse added.

Shelby nodded in agreement before she glanced at her watch. She needed to get going, but she wanted to see Rachel before she left. As if her thoughts had conjured her, Rachel made her appearance in the kitchen.

"Does this look okay?" Rachel asked her mother, indicating her dark blue skirt and white top.

"You look very pretty, as always. Do you have everything you need for today?" Shelby answered.

"Yes, Mom," Rachel replied as she grabbed various items for her own breakfast and then took a seat next to her boyfriend.

"Okay, well, you know where my office and classroom are if you need anything. I have to go; Piper wants to meet with me before classes start."

Rachel nodded, standing to give her mother a quick hug before she returned to her seat next to Jesse.

* * *

When she and Jesse arrived at Carmel, Rachel was surprised by the number of students. Noticing her slightly distressed look, Jesse was quick to reassure her and even had a surprise of his own for her. It was a dark blue zip-up hoodie with Carmel in white writing on the back and VA-2 stitched in white near the top of the left side.

"I suppose you're number 1?" Rachel asked her boyfriend.

Jesse smirked at her.

"Of course."

Rachel rolled her eyes playfully, squealing in surprise when Jesse pulled her close.

"I'll walk you to your first class, since it's just down the hall from mine. Then I'll meet you outside your science class so we can spend the rest of the day together," Jesse told her.

Rachel smiled up at him.

"Sounds wonderful. It's still going to be odd not seeing you all day long."

"Which brings us to surprise number two," Jesse said, pulling out a gold necklace from his pocket.

"A gold star?" Rachel asked, turning around and lifting her hair so Jesse could clasp the necklace.

"Yes. You said they were sort of your thing, just like those lattes you love so much."

"You're my thing, too," Rachel reminded him, slipping her arms around his neck.

"Definitely," Jesse agreed with a grin, leaning down to brush his lips with hers. "I love you, Rach."

"I love you, too, Jess," Rachel responded, smiling when Jesse took her hand in his and laced their fingers together.

* * *

Walking into Carmel, Rachel kept an eye out for their friends. She saw Kurt and Blaine first. They were at what must have been Blaine's locker, since it was only a few lockers down from her own. She also noticed they kept touching each other, similar to way she and Jesse often did.

"I can't believe he didn't tell me," Rachel muttered, looking up at Jesse to find his trademark smirk firmly in place.

"I didn't know, either, until I looked at them. Something definitely happened in the last few days that we were both unaware of," Jesse said, answering her unspoken question.

"Well, then I say we claim best friend prerogative and find out what's going on."

Jesse chuckled, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

"Let's get everything you need first, since I know you put all of your things in your locker last night before we left."

Rachel sighed, but turned to open her own locker as Jesse had suggested.

"Don't you need to get your stuff too?" she asked as she gathered the folders and notebooks for her morning classes.

"My locker is on the way to your first class, so we'll just stop there first," Jesse answered.

Rachel nodded. After getting everything she thought she'd need for the morning, she turned around to see Kurt and Blaine had wandered farther down the row of lockers, past her and Jesse, to what must be Kurt's locker. Grabbing Jesse's hand once more, Rachel led him to where their best friends were standing.

* * *

"She's going to kill us," Kurt muttered to the boy beside him.

"Rachel?" Blaine asked, not sure if he should believe Kurt or not.

"She's Shelby's daughter. She can be  _scary_  when she's mad."

"I'm sure she's harmless."

"You haven't known Rachel as long as I have."

Before either boy could say anything else, they were interrupted by Rachel.

"Okay, spill," she demanded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kurt said innocently.

"That doesn't work with me, Kurt, and you know it."

"I asked Kurt out over the weekend," Blaine revealed.

Rachel's face transformed from slightly angry and suspicious to happy in mere seconds. Not caring what the other students around her might think, she let out a squeal of excitement and proceeded to hug both Kurt and Blaine while Jesse laughed as he looked on.

"This is great!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down until Jesse slid his arms around her and halted her movements.

"What's all the  _emoción_  about,  _teatrera_?" Santana asked as she and Puck approached.

"Kurt and Blaine are officially together now!" she exclaimed.

"You owe me five bucks," Santana said to her boyfriend, who just rolled his eyes and passed her a five dollar bill from his wallet.

"You  _bet_  on us?" Blaine asked, disbelief written all over his face, causing the other members of the group to laugh.

"Sure, why not?" Puck asked with a shrug.

"Typical Puck behavior, I assure you," Kurt told his boyfriend.

"Why didn't you call me?" Rachel asked, hitting Kurt lightly on the shoulder.

"Don't get so abusive! Jeez. I didn't call you because I figured you and Jesse would be too busy playing around with your new stage/movie viewing set up. Besides, it's not like you didn't see us at rehearsal or anything," Kurt said.

"I was too busy to notice," Rachel retorted.

"Shelby did keep us all pretty busy," Blaine added, earning a smile of appreciation from Rachel.

"So when are these auditions supposed to take place?" Santana asked, changing the subject.

* * *

Walking into Piper's office, Shelby was still trying to figure out what she could possibly want with her.

"Hello, Shelby, thank you for meeting with me this morning," Piper said, standing to greet Shelby.

"Is everything okay?" Shelby asked, taking a seat in front of the desk.

The older woman smiled and nodded.

"I was actually hoping you would do me a favor, well you and the fabulous Vocal Adrenaline."

Though she was still a bit apprehensive, Shelby continued to try to figure out what the favor would be.

"What's that?" she asked.

"You know that we have our annual holiday concert, usually by a local group," Piper started.

"Yes, I've gone to it a few times."

"Good. Good. Well, I just got word that the group we had slated to perform has cancelled, and out of those that auditioned, they were the only one that everyone could agree on."

"You want Vocal Adrenaline to do it," Shelby surmised.

Piper smiled at the younger woman.

"Yes, I would. I've heard that you have some great new voices this year."

"We have Sectionals not that long before our break," Shelby started.

"I know," Piper assured her, "but this would mean so much to me. I think it would be great for school pride as well; maybe we'd get more attendance than normal. Vocal Adrenaline has always filled all of the seats when they perform."

Shelby sighed before she spoke again.

"I can't give you answer until I talk to my team. I honestly can't see them declining, since many of them have been begging me to let them do some kind of holiday concert, but I want every member of my team to be on board with this before I say yes."

"What if I said I needed an answer right now?" Piper asked.

"I'd tell you no," Shelby stated calmly. "As I said, my team and I make decisions  _together_ , not separately. I refuse to give you anything but a maybe without talking to them first, that's just the way it's going to have to work. I can probably get you an answer by the end of rehearsal today, but since we have auditions the next two days, I can't guarantee anything."

Piper looked impressed.

"Do you make all of your decisions as a team?" she asked.

"Most of them, yes," Shelby answered. "I pick the set lists, but they all know they are welcome to voice their opinions about songs they'd like to do or songs I've picked."

"That's a lot of responsibility for them, don't you think?"

"Not at all. They aren't just robots who do everything I tell them to do. I'm their coach and they listen to me, they respect me and my opinion, but I've found it's much better for overall team morale if I included them in the decision-making process. They aren't little kids anymore, it's time they started taking responsibility for their actions. If they pick songs for a competition that don't work, then the only people they can blame are themselves," she answered.

"Well spoken," Piper said with another smile. "I need an answer by the end of the week, but the sooner the better."

"If they agree, how many songs are we talking?"

"Enough for about an hour or so long concert. I know you have a large team and every member can sing, so I don't foresee that being a problem, do you?"

"If they agree, no, it shouldn't be."

"Good. Thank you for your time, Shelby, and either way, I appreciate you at least considering this."

"You're welcome. Did you need anything else?"

Piper shook her head.

"No, that was all. Have a good day."

"Thank you, you as well," Shelby said before exiting Piper's office, still a little irritated.

Her irritation quickly went away when she saw Rachel talking with what looked to be a rather large group of people, including many Vocal Adrenaline members, with Jesse standing at her side. With a smile on her face, Shelby turned to walk down the hall to her office so she could get the materials she'd need for her first class.

* * *

Rachel was relieved to find that her morning classes went by quickly. She was eager to see Jesse again and to see what the music class was like. When she walked out of her last class before lunch, she wasn't at all surprised to see Jesse waiting for her.

"Hi," he greeted.

"Hi," she responded, giving him a quick hug.

Keeping his arm around Rachel's shoulders, Jesse looked down at her.

"Do you need to stop at your locker?" he asked.

"Yes. I also got a text from my mom saying she wants to see us before rehearsal," Rachel answered as she and Jesse made the shot walk to her locker.

"Did she say what it was about?" Jesse asked, reluctantly letting go of her so she could switch out her books.

"No, but I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that she had to meet with Principal Hawthorne this morning."

"Well, I would say it has something to do with Vocal Adrenaline if she wants to see both of us."

Rachel nodded as she closed her locker.

"Do you want to eat first or go see my mom first?"

"Well, considering we have her music class right after lunch, I figure it makes more sense to eat first, and then we can just go to class early."

"Okay," Rachel agreed, smiling when Jesse once again slid an arm around her shoulders.

* * *

Once they'd both finished with lunch, Jesse and Rachel made their way to the classroom Shelby's music class was held in. As they had predicted, she was already there, looking through sheet music.

"Mom," Rachel said when she and Jesse walked into the room, immediately getting Shelby's attention.

"You got my text?"

"Is everything okay?" Jesse asked.

"I haven't quite decided yet, to be honest. Piper asked if we, Vocal Adrenaline that is, would do the holiday concert this year instead of a different local band or some local singers. I said I'd have to talk to the team first, but you are the leads, so if you two don't think it's a good idea, I won't even bring it up."

Rachel shared a look with her boyfriend before she turned back to her mother.

"How many songs?"

"She said enough for about an hour or so long concert. It'll be just us, though, unlike the Invitational, which includes both the band and orchestra as well."

"Our Sectionals are pretty close to when that would be, right?" Jesse asked.

"Yes. That's what concerns me the most. I know we've been doing the Invitational numbers and Sectionals numbers, but we've been practicing those for quite a while. I'm not a fan of doing things at the last minute."

"I think it could be a nice change of pace," Rachel decided. "I know you like to pick the set lists, but maybe we could have people…audition, I guess, with the songs they want to sing at the concert. We have enough people that I think it could work, plus I'm sure we'll have more members once the auditions are over."

"That could work," Shelby said, a proud smile on her face.

"I think it would be worth bringing up to everyone else," Jesse added. "I know some people have been wanting to do one for a while, and like Rach said, it's not like we don't have enough team members to make it work."

"Well, I told Piper I'd give her an answer by the end of the week, so we'll see what the rest of the team has to say," Shelby decided.

"Since we have a bit of time before class starts, do you mind if we sing something?" Jesse asked.

"Go ahead," Shelby said, gesturing towards the piano.

With a grin, Jesse grabbed Rachel's hand and led her over to the piano. Once she was seated beside him, he turned to her with a smile on his face.

"What would you like to sing?" he asked.

Rachel grabbed the book of sheet music currently sitting on the piano and flipped through it until she found the song she wanted. When Jesse saw her song choice, he leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek before he played the opening notes.

_Hello twelve_

**Hello thirteen**

_Hello love_

**Changes, oooh**

_**Down below** _

_Up Above. Time to doubt_

**To break out**

_It's a mess_

**It's a mess**

_Time to grow, time to go….Adolesce_

**Adolesce**

_**Too young to take over, too old to ignore** _

**Gee, I'm almost ready**

_**But...what...for?** _

**There's a lot**

_**I am not certain of** _

_**Hello twelve, hello thirteen, hello love…** _

* * *

While Rachel and Jesse continued to sing, they were oblivious to their classmates beginning to enter the room. Shelby watched with some amusement as the members of Vocal Adrenaline simply took their seats, unsurprised to find their leads singing together, while the students who either didn't know Rachel and/or Jesse looked surprised, with some even checking the time to make sure they weren't late.

After they'd ended the song, Rachel and Jesse were surprised to find that not only had their classmates already entered the room, but the majority of them were applauding them. With smiles on their faces, they quickly took seats between their friends while Shelby walked to the front of the room.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet the male and female leads of Vocal Adrenaline, Jesse St. James and Rachel Berry," Shelby said with a smile.

After everyone settled, Shelby quickly took attendance and was about to ask if there any questions before she began class when she saw the hand of a tall, dark brown-haired girl go up in the air.

"Yes, Anna?" she asked.

"Is Rachel related to you?"

"Yes, she's my daughter," Shelby answered.

"I suppose that's how she got female lead," said another girl, this one shorter and with red hair.

"She got it because she  _earned_  it," Giselle snapped before Shelby could respond. "She's not only the best female vocalist we have, but she's also the best female lead we've  _ever_  had. You're lucky Ms. Corcoran even let you into this class. Rachel would out-sing you any day."

"Although I don't particularly agree with the way she worded it, Giselle is correct, Fiona. I don't play favorites and I'm disappointed that you think I would. Rachel and Jesse are the two best vocalists and all around performers Vocal Adrenaline has, therefore they are the leads. They're both naturally talented, yes, but they've both spent  _years_  doing everything they could to cultivate that talent. I know you haven't put in anywhere near the amount of effort they have. I'll tell you the same thing I've told every member of my team: if you can't accept that Rachel and Jesse are the leads, then you need to leave immediately. I don't tolerate bad attitudes on my team or in any of my classes," Shelby said.

"Go Shelby," Puck muttered to himself, earning a smirk from Jesse, a good-natured eye roll from Santana, and a small smile from Rachel.

After a few moments of silence from her class, Shelby began to speak again.

"Now, are there any other questions I can answer?"

With a seemingly innocent smile, Santana raised her hand.

"Yes, Santana?" Shelby asked, unsure what it was her daughter's friend might ask.

"When are we going to sing?" she asked.

"Soon," Shelby answered before she proceeded to explain what the requirements and expectations of the class were as well as mentioning the signup sheets for Vocal Adrenaline auditions outside her office.

* * *

As they were leaving the choir room, Rachel put a hand on Giselle's arm to stop her. The taller girl stopped walking and turned around to face Rachel.

"Thank you for standing up for me today," Rachel started.

Giselle smiled at her.

"You've more than proven yourself. I felt the same way Fiona did at first, you know I did. Then I saw how you were with everyone, and how much of a team player you really are, and I changed my mind. I truly am sorry for doubting you, Rachel."

Rachel returned the smile.

"I understand. Still, though, thank you. It means a lot to me."

"Any time. I think Jesse's trying to get your attention, so I'll see you in rehearsal."

Rachel turned to where her friends had been standing, smiling when she saw that Jesse was indeed trying to get her attention.

"What's up?" she asked as she walked up to them.

"I convinced your  _hermano mayor_  to agree to audition, but we want you, Jesse, Kurt, and Blaine to help us pick audition songs. At least give opinions," Santana answered.

"Sure. We don't have any assignments other than the one my mom just gave us. She doesn't have a class during this hour, so I'm sure we could probably find something here if you want to audition today."

Overhearing the conversation, Shelby spoke from behind her daughter.

"I talked to Coach Bieste and Coach Michaels about the two of you being in both Vocal Adrenaline and either football or cheerleading. I don't mind if you miss a few rehearsals for their practices, but I do expect you to keep up and attend every rehearsal you can."

Santana and Puck nodded in understanding before Rachel turned to look at her mother.

"Do you mind if we stick around and look through the music?" she asked.

"Go ahead," Shelby said, "I'll just be across the hall in my office if you need me."

"Thanks, Shelby," all six teens called out in unison.

Shelby laughed and nodded before she grabbed her things and walked across the hall.

* * *

Walking into her office, the first thing Shelby saw was the light blinking on her phone. When she picked it up and saw that it was Leroy that had called, she had to smile. His voicemail made her smile grow. He wanted to make sure Rachel's first day was going smoothly and she was enjoying herself. When she called him back, he picked up after the first ring.

"Shelby," Leroy said.

"Hello, Leroy. You can relax, Rachel is fine. She seems to be enjoying herself. She, Jesse, and their friends are currently raiding my sheet music supply for audition songs for Santana and Puck."

"That sounds like her. I know she said she wasn't sure how long rehearsal would go tonight so she might not get a chance to call me, but I worry about her."

"I understand," Shelby said soothingly. "You and Hiram can rest assured she's perfectly fine, she's happy. After I gave the assignment for this week, I saw her and Jesse exchange a look, so I have no doubt she's having as much fun as she can while in school."

"I'm glad to hear that, and Hiram will be as well."

"I was happy to see it myself, trust me. Especially considering what one of the students in my music class accused her of."

Leroy sighed audibly.

"Let me guess, she found out Rachel is your daughter, so she thinks Rachel has used that to her advantage to become female lead of your show choir, among other things," he guessed.

"Unfortunately, you are correct," Shelby revealed. "One of the girls from the team, originally one of the ones to doubt Rachel, stood up for her. I simply reminded the other girl that I don't play favorites, and that I was disappointed that she thought I would. I also told the class the same thing I tell my team: if they can't handle the fact that Jesse and Rachel are the leads, they need to leave, and that I don't tolerate bad attitudes."

"Well, it sounds like you set her straight, so hopefully that's the end of that kind of drama. I'm glad to hear Rachel seems to be making friends with her teammates, though. Did she thank the girl who stood up for her?"

"She did. You and Hiram did a wonderful job with her, Leroy."

"That's partly you, too, Shelby. You may not have been with her as much as Hiram and I have been, but you have still been a large part of her life. She seems to really enjoy her new life, and don't tell him I said this, but Jesse is pretty much exactly the type of boy we would want for Rachel."

Shelby smiled and laughed before she spoke again.

"I won't tell him, but I have to agree. I have work I need to get done, so I'm afraid I need to go, but if it's not too late, I'll make sure Rachel calls you later."

"If we don't hear from her by the time we go to bed, we'll give her a call and leave her a message. I'm sure she'd like that at least."

"I'm sure she would. Have a good rest of your day, Leroy."

"You, too, Shelby. Thank you for calling me back and keeping us updated."

"You're welcome," Shelby assured him before she hung up.

Judging from the laughter she heard coming from across the hall, she had no doubt the six teenagers were enjoying themselves. Now that she had heard both Puck and Santana sing the other night, she was very interested to see what they would audition with, and what else they were capable of singing. She also had the holiday concert to think about, something she was starting to warm to, especially if she handled it the way Rachel had so wisely suggested. Humming along with the song being played, Shelby began to work on her next set of lessons.

* * *

**Spanish Translations:**

**emoción = emotion**

**teatrera = drama queen**

**hermano mayor = big/older brother**


	17. Chapter 17

Satisfied with the songs they'd helped select for their friends' auditions, Rachel, Jesse, Kurt, and Blaine made their way to the auditorium to wait for rehearsal to begin. Meanwhile, Santana and Puck went to try out for cheerleading and football respectively before they auditioned for Vocal Adrenaline. When the foursome got to the auditorium, they weren't surprised to find Shelby already there but finding it otherwise empty.

"Did they miss the memo?" Kurt wondered.

Rachel giggled and shook her head.

"I think we're early."

"You are," Shelby said from her desk. "Everyone else should be arriving shortly. I have an announcement to make before we start auditions, so the sooner everyone gets here the better."

"You aren't going to yell at us, are you?" Kurt asked jokingly.

Shelby laughed as she shook her head.

"No. Although I can tell you that these auditions will be a bit different than yours. Not everyone who auditions gets in, but everyone auditions before we post a list with those we have decided to add to the team."

"Good to know."

As the four teens settled in their seats, they heard the sounds of their teammates entering the auditorium. Once everyone had settled a few minutes later, Shelby walked to the stage to make her announcement.

"Before we start the annual auditions, I want your opinions on something. As you all are well aware, we make the majority of our decisions as a team. I don't want this decision to be any different. I know some of you have been asking me for a while if we could do a holiday concert and in the past, I've just said no. This year, however, I'm willing to consider it. It was brought to my attention this morning that the group the school had booked for their annual holiday concert has cancelled. Principal Hawthorne has asked us to take the place of that group. I've already spoken to Jesse and Rachel about this, and they don't think it will be a problem, especially considering the number of voices we have and that all of you can sing. After thinking about it some more, and taking Jesse's and Rachel's opinions into consideration, I would like to take Principal Hawthorne up on that offer. I will tell her no if I don't have a unanimous yes on this, though. Since we're short on time, we'll make this simple. If you want to do this, raise your hand."

Shelby had to bite back a smile as she watched the hands of her entire team go up in the air. From the looks both Jesse and Rachel as well as Kurt and Blaine exchanged, plus the fact that some of the team members looked like they wanted to bounce up and down with excitement, she was positive they all wanted this.

This time Shelby did smile as she addressed her team once more.

"As long as the new members also agree, then a yes it is. We need enough songs for about an hour or so long concert, so start thinking of songs and we'll come back to this once the Invitational is over. I've already explained how this audition process works to our newest members, so we can go ahead and get started right away…"

* * *

About a half an hour later, while they were waiting for the next person auditioning to take the stage, Rachel had laid her head on Jesse's shoulder. He smiled as he spoke.

"You okay?" he asked.

Rachel moved her head in what Jesse assumed was supposed to be a nod.

"Yes. I wanted to stop a couple of those people mid-song like they do on American Idol sometimes, though."

Jesse chuckled.

"I know what you mean. Unless they're completely horrible, Shelby usually doesn't do that, though."

"I wish my dads were still here," Rachel said with a sigh.

"I know," Jesse replied softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"I told my Dad I would call tonight, so I'll at least get to hear their voices."

Before either teen could say anything else, they saw Santana walk onto the stage. Rachel noticeably perked up, interested to see what song Santana had finally chosen-as she had been debating between two different ones earlier. Jesse squeezed Rachel's hand, smiling to himself when she squeezed back. Though they had only known each other a few days, Jesse and Santana had taken to each other quickly once they realized they both shared an appreciation for witty comebacks and snarky comments. Puck hadn't taken to Jesse the same way Santana had, but he was slowly warming up to the older boy. Their current favorite topic was Rachel-Puck sharing stories about them growing up together in Lima and Jesse sharing stories from the times they'd spent time together over the summer. Silently wishing her friend good luck, Rachel sat back and listened as Santana began her song.

 _Late at night when all the world is sleeping._  
I stay up and think of you.  
And I wish on a star,  
That somewhere you are thinking of me too.

As she sang, Santana made a mental note to call her  _abuela_  and thank her for making her listen to Spanish-language artists whenever she had suggested listening to music. Maybe she would even sing it for her the next time she saw her.

 _To you, I'll give the world_  
To you, I'll never be cold  
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you,  
It's alright, I know it's right…

Although her song was slower than the others she'd heard as she stood backstage, she still felt confident with her choice and made sure to work the stage as much as she could instead of just standing in one place to sing.

 _'Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight_  
'Til tomorrow, I'll be holding you tight  
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be  
Than here in my room dreaming about you and me.

Hearing the music transition from the chorus to a verse Santana smiled to herself, as she knew this verse had the Spanish in it. Her  _abeula_  had made sure that she learned Spanish, so she hoped she made her proud, even though she wasn't here.

 _Corazón, I can't stop dreaming of you,_  
No puedo dejar de pensar en ti,  
I can't stop dreaming,  
Cómo te necesito,  
I can't stop dreamind of you,  
Mi amor, como te extraño…

As she ended the song, Santana once again stood center stage and was surprised when the team started applauding her. She still had a smile on her face as she made her way out of the auditorium though the doors backstage and sent her boyfriend in for his audition.

* * *

Having gotten Shelby's approval to use his guitar during his audition, Puck settled the guitar on his shoulder before walking out onto the stage. Once he'd introduced himself and told everyone the song he'd be singing, he re-adjusted the guitar on his shoulder and began to play as he sang.

 _Where it began, I can't begin to knowing_  
But then I know it's growing strong  
was in the spring,  
And spring became the summer  
Who'd believe you'd come along

Rachel smiled as she recognized the song. Of course, Puck would pick this song. It was one of his favorites and Rachel was glad he'd ultimately decided on this one instead of the other one they had helped him select. She was also happy to see that he had been allowed to play his guitar for the audition.

 _Hands, touching hands, reaching out_  
Touching me, touching you  
Sweet Caroline  
Good times never seem so good  
I've been inclined to believe it never would

When Puck ended his song, he, too was rewarded with applause. He couldn't see her due to the lights, but he was pretty sure Rachel was clapping the loudest out of all of them-for both him and Santana. He still wasn't sure about the whole learning dance routines thing, but he knew both Santana and Rachel would be willing to help him with that if he asked. Even though he really couldn't deny either girl much of anything, he was glad that ultimately they had left the final decision of whether or not to audition for Vocal Adrenaline up to him. He sincerely hoped he made both of them proud and had impressed the other members enough to let him onto the team.

* * *

Two days later, Rachel waited with Puck and Santana as they not only awaited the arrival of the other half of their newly-formed group, but also the results of the Vocal Adrenaline auditions. When she had asked her mother about how she chose who would or would not get in she had been pleased to find out that Shelby chose the new members not only on voice alone, but also how she felt they would fit into the already formed group. Since her mother had been not only a show choir coach, but a teacher as well, for many years now, Rachel had no doubt that Shelby could easily tell who would and who would not fit the best into an already established team.

"No results yet?" Jesse asked as he walked up to the group, sliding his arm around Rachel's shoulders.

Rachel wrapped an arm around Jesse's waist and leaned into him before she answered.

"No, and I think I'm more nervous than they are."

Jesse chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of Rachel's head.

"I had a feeling," he confessed, pulling her further into his arms so he could wrap them around her.

Rachel smiled and immediately felt more relaxed now that Jesse was here. He had a way of calming her dramatic tendencies, even though he had plenty of his own. She briefly wondered if she did the same for him and made a mental note to ask him about it later. Her smile grew as she saw Kurt and Blaine approaching, with Kurt practically dragging Blaine along behind him.

"Any word yet?" Kurt asked once they'd reached the group.

Jesse glanced towards the bulletin board outside the auditorium.

"Nothing yet," he answered.

"I like the way we auditioned way better," Kurt said to his boyfriend.

Blaine nodded in agreement.

"I do, too. Although I think the way Rachel auditioned is the best."

"What way was that?" Puck asked.

"You only know half the story," Rachel said with a sigh, causing Jesse to chuckle and the other four members of the group look at the couple curiously.

"It started with Shelby getting frustrated with the girl who was occupying the role of female lead at the time. We were trying out a slower song and you could barely hear her, even when we weren't singing together. While everyone else went on a break per Shelby, I asked Rachel to sing with me. She had tagged along to the rehearsal to see what it was like before she decided if she wanted to not only transfer to Carmel, but join Vocal Adrenaline," Jesse explained.

"Obviously we know that worked out," Kurt said.

"Yes. Everyone liked it, even though my mom decided not to use the song. One of the girls even asked my mom if I was going to be part of Vocal Adrenaline now," Rachel added.

"Sounds pretty straight-forward to me, but I get the feeling something else happened," Blaine pointed out.

Jesse and Rachel both nodded before Jesse spoke again.

"One of the other girls, the one who stood up for Rachel the other day in class actually, was one of the ones who felt they needed to see if Rachel could handle a song on her own."

"I was mad, and a bit hurt, but at the same time, I understood where they were coming from," Rachel continued to explain. "I sang  _Don't Rain on My Parade_  and I'm pretty sure I shocked a few of them."

"I wouldn't doubt it. I wish I could have been there for that performance and seen their faces. That's what they get for doubting you," Kurt agreed with a smile for his best friend.

"I'm sure Shelby has the tape somewhere," Jesse said to Kurt, the words barely out of his mouth before he felt Rachel grip his jacket tighter than she had before.

"She has a  _tape_  of my performance?" Rachel asked.

"Of course she does. You're her daughter, singing Barbra. I'm pretty sure she made a copy for your dads, too."

"I second the motion that I'd like to see the tape of this performance," Puck said in agreement.

"I'll have to ask my mom about it, I guess," Rachel said with a shrug, her arms still firmly wrapped around her boyfriend.

"You know, if you two weren't so freaking cute, all of your displays of affection might make want to  _vomitar_ ," Santana told them, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"Look, the list is up!" Blaine said, the first to recover from his laughter.

"Come on, Satan, let's go see what our fate is," Puck said, grabbing Santana's hand.

* * *

When Puck and Santana walked back to the group a few minutes later, Rachel was talking animatedly with Kurt about something. Once they had re-joined the group, Santana spoke.

"We're going to have a lot of work cut out for us with teaching this one how to dance," she joked, wondering who would comprehend the meaning of her words first.

"You got in?" Rachel exclaimed.

Puck and Santana both nodded before they each received a tight hug from Rachel, who was now practically bouncing with excitement. If Jesse hadn't wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back towards him, she very well might have started doing just that.

"I wish my dads were here, we could have a celebratory dinner," Rachel said.

Puck was the only one to noticed Jesse's brief smile. He made sure to catch him on the way into the auditorium.

"I have a question for St. James, that's all," Puck assured Rachel when he saw her worried look.

"Be nice, Noah," Rachel warned before she followed the rest of the group into the auditorium.

Once Rachel was out of earshot, Puck turned to the older boy to ask his question.

"What was that smile for earlier, when Rachel mentioned her dads?"

"You can't tell anyone else, it's a surprise for Rachel," Jesse began.

"Well, since it's a surprise, it must be something she'll like," Puck guessed.

Jesse nodded before he spoke again.

"You know I'm living with Rachel and Shelby, right?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with Rachel's dads?"

"Leroy called me this morning, asking me how I felt about them moving in for a while. They'd already spoken to Shelby about it, it was actually originally her idea. She knows how much Rachel enjoys having all of her parents in one place, where she can see them at any time. Since she's going to be busier than ever, it's going to be harder for her to make trips to Lima to see her dads, and they don't like being apart from her any more than she does them, so they want to move here to be closer to her."

"She was sad to see them go back to Lima. She was hoping they'd surprise her and tell her they were staying, but you already know all of this."

"I do," Jesse agreed. "I also told Leroy I thought it was a great idea and Rachel would love it."

"But how is this all possible? Hiram has his own business, so there's really no problem there, but Leroy actually works for a firm in Lima."

"Well, from what I understand, Leroy has been wanting to take some continuing education classes for a while now and his firm agreed to help pay the cost for those classes, since they would also benefit them. They're letting Leroy take a sabbatical of sorts. He still has to go to Lima once a month I believe it is, to report in, I guess, and Hiram will be travelling when he has to meet with clients there, but for the most part, they'll be able to be here with Rachel."

"So they're going to keep the house in Lima?"

Jesse nodded again.

"The house has too much sentimental value, not only Rachel and her dads, but for Shelby, too. It's Rachel's childhood home. They could never sell it. They simply want to be closer to their only child while they still can. They'll probably move back to Lima permanently once Rachel goes off to college, but there's so many things between now and then that they don't want to miss."

"Not like Shelby's house isn't big enough," Puck agreed.

"That's what Shelby told them, too. They originally asked her to help them find an apartment close by, or a small rental home. Shelby told them not to bother, they could just move into her house. I think Shelby just likes having a lot of people in the house, too."

"When are they moving?"

Jesse glanced at his watch before he answered.

"They should be at the house momentarily. Leroy has been staying in a hotel for the last couple of days while he waited for Hiram. The classes are held at OSU, so they started a few days ago."

"Any way the rest of us could score an invite to this particular surprise?"

"That was the plan. I meant to get here earlier, but I was on the phone with my sister. She talks a lot. I forgot that part, too."

Puck laughed as he clasped Jesse on the shoulder.

"I feel your pain, man. My sister might only be twelve, but she and our mom have these like hours-long conversations, I don't understand."

Jesse smiled as they both began to walk into the auditorium, well aware Shelby would be angry if they were late.

"I'm happy to have my sister back and everything, but I think she worries even more now than she did when we were growing up. I asked her if she could make that cake again, invited her to dinner again, per Hiram and Leroy's request. Plus, Rachel likes her. She agreed, but she had a million questions again, too."

"Sisters. Gotta love them," Puck agreed before both boys took their seats and waited for rehearsal to begin.

* * *

Walking over to Shelby's house, Genevieve found she was only slightly less nervous than the last time she'd been here. She'd asked Jesse every question she could think of, making sure she had all of the right ingredients for the cake. She'd found she was out of one of them and couldn't remember the name of the specialty store that carried it. She also didn't know how formal or informal this dinner was. Even though he had laughed a few times, Jesse had answered every one of her questions. She was so deep in thought she didn't realize that she had now walked up to the door and had rung the doorbell. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she took a deep breath as she saw the door open.

"Genevieve, it's nice to see you again," Hiram greeted.

"Thank you for inviting me, and trusting me to make the cake again," Genevieve answered as she stepped inside.

Hiram smiled at her.

"You're part of this strange little family we've created, whether you like it or not."

Genevieve found herself smiling as she once again realized that the Berry family was by far the most welcoming one she'd ever come into contact with, let alone been a part of. Joel's family was great, but nothing like this one. They'd not only accepted Rachel's friends, Jesse, then Blaine, but now her as well.

"Rachel is very lucky to have you two for dads," she remarked as Hiram led her down the hallway to the kitchen.

"We're lucky to have Rachel," Hiram answered with a smile. "I think your brother would agree on that one as well."

"I know he would," Genevieve agreed as they walked into the kitchen.

"Hello, Genevieve," Leroy greeted, taking the cake from her.

"Hello, Leroy, it's nice to see you both again, and really, thank you so much for inviting me."

Just as his husband had, Leroy assured the younger girl that it really was what they wanted.

"You and Jesse don't have much experience just being accepted, do you?" Leroy wondered.

"No, we don't. Our parents are…well, frankly, they're more concerned about themselves than us. They've also expressed how disappointed they are in both of us for daring to be different than them, better than them. I didn't marry the first rich guy I could find right out of high school and Jesse isn't going to become some ruthless businessman."

"I'd like to say they shouldn't have become parents in the first place with that kind of attitude, but that would leave Rachel without the boy who loves her unconditionally and we would never wish that for her, or anyone," Hiram said as he began to gather what he needed for dinner.

"We've both been lucky enough to find people who do accept us, though. I found Joel and Jesse found Rachel."

"Why don't you tell us how you met Joel while we wait for everyone to get home?" Leroy suggested with a smile.

"It's nothing extremely cute like the way Rachel and Jesse met, but sure. We were partnered up for a class project and we just sort of hit it off from there. We shared some of the same friends, so it wasn't difficult for us to spend time together, to get to know each other better."

"How long after that did you two start dating?" Hiram wondered.

Genevieve thought back for a moment before she answered.

"A few weeks, I think. It's all kind of a blur sometimes. We were supposed to go see a new movie with some friends of ours, but they ended up cancelling. I still think they did it on purpose, but they denied it when I asked. Anyway, Joel asked me if I would mind if we made it a date. Our first date. He took me to dinner and we ended up skipping the movie. We started talking, about anything and everything. We lost track of time and completely missed the movie. Thank God it was a weekend; otherwise we both probably would have been too tired to really comprehend what was going on in our classes."

"Where did he take you?" Leroy asked.

"We went to this little diner not far from campus. It was raining and neither one of us had an umbrella, so we made a mad dash for the door. We were both soaking wet by the time we reached it."

"I'd say that's pretty cute," Hiram said with a smile.

"I guess it is," Genevieve agreed, "but I think the way Rachel and Jesse met was cuter. For them to meet in a music room, the first words spoken about a musical, I don't think it gets much better than that."

"I don't think so, either," Leroy agreed.

Before any of the adults could say anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of voices floating into the kitchen from down the hall.

* * *

The minute Rachel walked into the house, she smelled the vegan stir-fry that she knew for a fact that only her Daddy made. Happy tears already forming in her eyes, she ignored the confused looks from Santana, Kurt, and Blaine, and practically ran down the hall. She was followed closely by Jesse and the rest of their friends as well as her mother. When she reached the kitchen, she could have sworn she was dreaming.

"Dad? Daddy?" Rachel asked, not sure if she should believe her eyes or not.

Genevieve had to smile at the younger girl, even though she was sure it hadn't even registered to Rachel that she was here too. She could see all the different emotions as they played across the younger girl's face, and as she locked eyes with her brother, she knew he could not only see them, but feel them as well. At Hiram's silent request, she stood and walked over to the stove to keep an eye on the meal. She'd been watching Hiram for a while so she had an idea about what she was supposed to do.

Leroy was the first to reach Rachel. When he wrapped his arms around her to hug her, she responded by wrapping her own tightly around him and burying her face in his shoulder.

"If you cry, your Daddy will cry," Leroy told her jokingly.

Rachel sniffled a couple of times.

"I'm sorry, I just….I didn't want you to leave. I liked having you, Daddy, and Mom all in the same house. It was nice."

Leroy ran a hand over his daughter's hair.

"I know, honey. Go hug your Daddy and then we'll tell you our news."

Rachel nodded and quickly made her way over to Hiram, who embraced her just as tightly as she embraced him. Rachel could tell he had tears in his eyes too, most likely because she did. She was so absorbed with her dads that didn't see the tears that Kurt, Blaine, Shelby, Santana, and even Puck had in their eyes.

"Daddy," Rachel whispered as she stepped back so she could look at both of her fathers.

"We have good news, sweetie," Hiram started.

Feeling a little anxious, Rachel sought the comfort of her boyfriend's embrace. All she had to do was exchange a look with him and he immediately knew what she wanted, what she needed. With a small smile on his face, he made his way to her side and wrapped his arms around her. Wrapping her own tightly around his waist, Rachel rested her head on his chest as she looked at her fathers.

"Do you remember how your Dad was saying he'd like to take some continuing education classes, to help him in his practice?" Hiram asked.

Rachel nodded, still unsure where this conversation was going or what her dads were doing here.

"I've decided to take a sabbatical of sorts," Leroy continued. "The firm has offered to pay for those classes, and they'd like me to do some research as well. The classes are held at the Akron campus of OSU. Since your Daddy doesn't have an actual office that he goes to, he just sees clients, it's pretty easy for him to move around."

"We were talking to your Mom about it, and asked her to help us find a little apartment or rental house nearby. She told us not to be foolish and offered to let us move in here, since we aren't planning on moving here permanently, just until you graduate," Hiram added.

"We even called Jesse and talked to him about it before we made a decision," Leroy explained.

"So you're here….basically to stay?" Rachel asked.

Hiram smiled at his daughter as she nodded.

"Your Dad and I have to travel back to Lima a few times every few weeks or so, but we'll be here for the most part. We're keeping the house in Lima as well, not only because we need a place to stay when we're there, but because of all the memories that it holds."

Rachel looked up at her boyfriend, who smiled at her and nodded, answering her unspoken question. Reluctantly letting her out of his embrace, Jesse watched as Rachel walked over to her mother and hugged her as well.

"Thank you. I don't want you to think I don't want to spend more time with you, either, though," Rachel said.

Shelby smiled and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"I understand, baby. We'll still spend time together, just like we were planning. You're supposed to be happy, not sad, though."

Rachel smiled at her mother.

"I  _am_  happy. I just wasn't expecting any of this, that's all."

"This also gives us a chance to get to know you better, Jesse," Leroy said as Hiram once again took over cooking.

"Genevieve as well, since we've already informed her she's now a part of our crazy little family," Hiram added.

Jesse shared a look and a smile with his sister neither needing to say anything to make the other understand how they were feeling. It was just like Hiram and Leroy had guessed earlier, neither St. James sibling was used to being accepted unconditionally, to having a real family. Now that they had that, though, they'd do anything they could not to have to give that up.

"Enough with the sap, I want some of that cake," Puck declared, immediately lightening the mood.

"Not until  _after_  dinner," Leroy told him.

"What are you making?" Santana wondered.

"Vegan stir-fry," Hiram answered.

"Smells good," Puck observed.

"It  _is_  good," Rachel assured him, now once again in Jesse's arms. "You'll like it, Noah."

"He likes  _anything_  edible," Santana put in. "He's an  _adolescente_."

"I'm also just plain hungry," Puck added, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"It'll be a little while before dinner is ready, why don't you sing something for us," Shelby suggested.

"Will you sing with us?" Rachel asked.

"Your dads want to talk with me a bit more, but after dinner, all three of us will sing with you."

Satisfied with that answer, Rachel turned the newest member of their little family.

"Will you play something for us?" she asked Genevieve.

"I'm not anywhere near as good at it as Jesse is," Genevieve said, clearly surprised by the question.

"Neither am I, but that doesn't stop me from playing sometimes."

"You might as well just give in now," Jesse told his sister. "She'll keep trying to persuade you until you agree."

"One song," Genevieve agreed, earning a smile from Rachel.

* * *

Before she really knew what was happening, Genevieve found herself sitting at the piano in Shelby's music room. The six teenagers were scattered around the piano, waiting for her song choice.

"Can you sight read?" Kurt asked.

"For the most part, yes," Genevive answered.

"How about this one, then?" Rachel asked, handing her a piece of music.

Genevieve looked over the music before she set it in front of her.

"Looks easy enough," she said before she played the opening notes.

* * *

**A/N: For those of you not familiar with the acronym OSU, it stands for Ohio State University**

**Spanish Translations:**

_**Abuela:** **grandma/grandmother** _

_**_Corazón_ : ** **Heart** _

_**No puedo dejar de pensar en ti: I can't stop thinking about you** _

_**_Cómo te necesito_ : How I need you** _

_**_Mi amor, cómo te extraño_ : My love, how I miss you** _

_**Vomitar: vomit/hurl/throw up** _

_**Adolescente: Adolescent/Teenager** _


	18. Chapter 18

As he listened to his sister play the introductory notes to the song Rachel had chosen, Jesse immediately recognized it. He didn't remember this particular song being in the pieces of music that Shelby kept in the music room, but he also knew she was always adding to her already varied collection of music, so it wasn't all that surprising to find something he hadn't noticed before. He smiled as he heard his girlfriend sing the first few lines, sliding his arm around her waist as she sang.

_You and I must make a pact  
We must bring salvation back,  
Where there is love, I'll be there. _ __**(I'll be there)**

Standing on the other side of Rachel, Kurt sang the next part.

_I'll reach out my hand to you  
I'll have faith in all you do.  
Just call my name and I'll be there. _ __**(I'll be there)**

Realizing that the next few lines pretty much summed up how he felt about Rachel, Jesse locked eyes with her as he sang, not seeing the way the rest of the group smiled at them.

 _I'll be there to comfort you,_  
Build my world of dreams around you,  
I'm so glad that I found you.

As they always seemed to be able to do, the group of six effortlessly harmonized as they joined their voices together for the chorus.

 **** _I'll be there with a love that's strong,_  
I'll be your strength,  
I'll keep holdin' on. (holdin' on)  
Yes I will

Taking a cue from Jesse, Blaine looked at Kurt as he sang the next part.

_Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter,  
Togetherness, well it's all I'm after,  
Just call my name, and I'll be there. _ __**(I'll be there)**

Following the lead of the Jesse and Blaine, Puck turned to Santana as he sang.

_I'll be there to protect you,_ _**(yeah baby)** _ _  
With unselfish love that respects you.  
Just call my name, and I'll be there. _ __**(I'll be there)**

Once again opting to sing together for the chorus, the six different voices joined together to become one.

 **** _I'll be there with a love that's strong,_  
I'll be your strength,  
I'll keep holdin' on.  
Oh oh oh  
Yes I will (holdin' on, holdin' on)  
Yes I will

As the only one who had yet to sing a solo, Santana took her turn.

_If you should ever find someone new  
I know she better be good to you  
Cause if she doesn't  
I'll be there _ __**(I'll be there)**

As he joined his voice with the rest of the group for the rest of the song, Jesse shared a smile with Genevieve. She may not have sung on this particular song, but he knew she  _could_  sing, though she had never craved the spotlight like he did.

 **** _Don't you know baby I'll be there_  
I'll be there I'll be there  
Just call my name, I'll be there (I'll be there)  
Just look over your shoulders honey! Oh!  
I'll be there, I'll be there,  
Whenever you need me, I'll be there (I'll be there)  
Don't you know baby,  
I'll be there, I'll be there  
Just call my name, I'll be there (I'll be there)  
Oh oh oh oh I'll be there, I'll be there

All seven people in the room were startled when, immediately after the song ended, they heard applause.

"I would say you underestimate your talent, Genevieve," Hiram said with a smile.

"Thank you," Genevieve replied, smiling back at Hiram.

Not for the first time that night, Genevieve found herself surprised at the simple  _warmth_  and  _love_  that this varied extended family had as Rachel walked around Jesse to hug her. Since her brother didn't look at all surprised by the action, she had to guess it was a rather common thing for Rachel to do.

"You were great," Genevieve heard Rachel say as she returned the younger girl's hug.

"I agree," Shelby said from the other side of Hiram, "with both my daughter and with Hiram."

"I just recently started to play again, so I surprised myself a little," Genevieve revealed.

Before anyone could say anything else, they all heard the sound of Puck's stomach rumbling.

"Someone  _tiene hambre_ ," Santana joked as the rest of the group simply either laughed or shook their heads.

"Damn right," Puck agreed.

"Language, Noah!" Rachel mock-scolded.

"Well, it's true. I am hungry, what do you really expect me to say?" Puck said in defense of himself, earning more laughter from the group.

"A simple yes would have been fine," Leroy responded with a laugh before leading everyone down the hall to the kitchen.

* * *

After dinner, the Berry-Corcoran-St. James-Hummel-Anderson-Lopez-Puckerman family found themselves back in the music room. This time Hiram and Shelby sat at the piano while the rest of the group stood around it.

"Care to sing a duet with me, Hiram?" Shelby asked with a smile.

"Does your whole family sing?" Genevieve asked before Hiram could answer.

Rachel grinned up at the older girl.

"Yes. It's great. When I was little, one of my dads would usually dance with me, too."

"How about dancing with me for a change?" Jesse asked.

"I dance with you every day, what are you talking about?" Rachel asked with a laugh.

Jesse grinned at her.

"We dance together at rehearsal, sure, but we hardly ever dance together simply because we want to."

"All right, then," Rachel agreed as she heard her Daddy play the opening notes and felt Jesse pull her into his arms.

As Shelby sang the first lines of the song, she saw Puck ask Santana, Blaine ask Kurt, and Leroy ask Genevieve to dance.

 _Tale as old as time_  
True as it can be  
Barely even friends  
Then somebody bends  
Unexpectedly

After sharing a smile with Shelby, Hiram sang his part, with Shelby joining in on the last line.

**Just a little change  
Small, to say the least  
Both a little scared  
Neither one prepared ** _**Beauty and the Beast** _

Watching Rachel and Jesse dance brought smiles to both Hiram's and Shelby's faces as they joined their voices together for the chorus.

 __ **Ever just the same**  
Ever a surprise  
Ever as before  
And ever just as sure  
As the sun will rise.

Once he'd finished playing the instrumental interlude, Shelby and Hiram sang the chorus again.

 _ **Ever just the same  
**_ **Ever a surprise** _ **  
Ever as before  
**_ _Ever just as sure_ __ ****  
As the sun will rise.

Singing the next two lines herself, Shelby sent up a silent  _thank you_  to whoever had blessed her with not only Rachel, but everyone she considered part of her family. It may not be what she'd expected, but she definitely wouldn't change a thing about it.

_Tale as old as time  
Tune as old as song_

Unknowingly sharing the same thoughts, Hiram and Shelby sang the ending together.

_**Bittersweet and strange  
Finding you can change  
Learning you were wrong  
** _ **Certain as the sun,** _Certain as the sun_ _**  
** _ **Rising in the east** _**  
** _ _Tale as old as time_ _**  
Song as old as rhyme  
Beauty and the Beast  
** _ _Tale as old as time_ _**  
** _ **Song as old as rhyme  
** __**Beauty and the Beast**

After Hiram and Shelby had sung the last line one more time, the three couples stopped dancing to applaud them.

"Thank you for the dance," Genevieve said to Leroy.

Leroy smiled at her.

"Anytime. You're a very graceful dancer," he replied.

"I taught her well," Jesse put in, earning a playful eye-roll from his sister and laughter from everyone else.

"As much as I'd love to stay and listen to you all sing some more, I unfortunately have to get an early start tomorrow. I had a great time, thank you so much for inviting me," Genevieve said, her reluctance to leave clear.

"That's our cue to head out as well," Blaine added. "Kurt and I can walk you home if you'd like us to, Gen."

"Sure. I just need to get my purse from the kitchen and then we can go."

"Come on, Satan, I don't want your  _abuela_  yelling at me because I got you home late," Puck said, grabbing Santana's hand.

* * *

A short while later, as they exchanged goodnights, Jesse remembered the holiday concert Shelby had talked to the team about a few days ago. After giving his sister a hug, he made sure to keep her attention.

"Everything okay?" Genevieve asked.

"Yes, everything is fine," Jesse answered with a small laugh. "You really need to stop worrying so much."

"You're my brother, I can't help it. Seriously, though, what's up?"

"Vocal Adrenaline is putting on a holiday concert this year. I don't know the exact date or anything yet, but…"

"I'll be there, just tell me when. I assume this will be at Carmel like your Invitational?"

Jesse smiled and nodded before he hugged his sister again.

"I'm really glad you came back, Gen," he told her quietly.

Genevieve smiled and nodded, suddenly overcome with emotion. Not only had Jesse said he was happy to have her back, but he'd begun using her nickname again. Though he wasn't the only one to use it, he had been the one who started calling her Gen in the first place.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked as she walked up to the St. James siblings.

"Just being emotional," Genevieve replied.

"Did Jesse tell you about the holiday concert?"

Genevieve smiled and nodded.

"I'll be there. Joel probably will be, too, but I'll have to ask him about it first. Before I forget, Joel and I have a favor to ask of you two."

"What's that?" Jesse wondered as he felt Rachel slip her arm around his waist.

"Well, we decided that we want a band for our wedding reception. I know you're busy with school and rehearsal, but I was hoping you'd help us pick out the band. I don't know exactly how the process is going to work yet, though."

Jesse shared a look with Rachel before he answered.

"We'd love to help, however we can."

"I see Blaine signaling he's ready to go, but I'll keep you posted. Goodnight," Genevieve said before she walked over to her cousin and his boyfriend.

* * *

"Where did you learn to dance like that?" Rachel asked her boyfriend as she turned off her lamp and cuddled up to him.

"My parents put Gen and I in dance classes when we were younger. They were on this high society kick at the time. They soon got tired of everything that entailed, so they decided to go off to Bali instead. Been there pretty much all of the time ever since," Jesse answered.

"It  _was_  nice being able to dance with you just because we felt like it."

"Told you," Jesse told her, his signature smirk firmly in place.

Rachel just smiled at him in return.

"Yes, you did. You were right, as you usually are."

" _Usually?_  I'm  _always_  right; I don't know what you're talking about."

Rachel giggled as she cuddled closer to him.

"I think we should test this theory one more time," she suggested with a grin.

Jesse grinned back at her.

"How are we going to do that?" he asked.

"I want something that only you can give me, what do you think that is?"

"Hmm," Jesse said as he made a show of thinking about what it was Rachel would want, even though he already knew. "A fabulous duet partner?"

Trying her best not to laugh, Rachel shook her head.

"You  _are_  a fabulous duet partner, but that's not what I was thinking of. Try again."

"A fabulous  _dance_  partner?"

Giving into the urge to laugh, Rachel shook her head again.

"No, not that either," she managed to get out between giggles.

"Well, then there's only one thing left," Jesse pronounced.

"What's that?" Rachel wondered.

Jesse's eyes darkened as he slid a hand into Rachel's hair and bent his head towards her.

"This," he whispered a moment before he captured her lips with his.

In response, Rachel slid her own hands into Jesse's curls as she returned the kiss. When she felt him deepen the kiss, she felt like she was melting. She adored the soft brush of lips when she and Jesse managed to sneak a quick kiss during the day, but they didn't begin to compare to the way they were kissing now. The passionate, possessive, way they held each other as they let their kiss communicate exactly how they felt about each other.

After reluctantly breaking the kiss, Jesse settled back against the pillows as Rachel settled her head on his shoulder. Tightening his arms around her, Jesse found himself getting sleepier by the second.

"Love you, Rach," he said sleepily.

Rachel smiled as the sleepy tone to Jesse's voice. He didn't know it, but she loved to watch him sleep. He was so dramatic and passionate about things when he was awake that she thought it was adorable how he could be so calm as he slept.

"I love you, too, Jess," she replied before she closed her eyes and soon joined him in dreamland.

* * *

When she reached the kitchen the next morning, Rachel was surprised when, instead of the normal breakfast buffet type of set up her mom usually had, her Daddy was making pancakes.

"Morning, Daddy," Rachel greeted, going up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to Hiram's cheek.

"Morning, sweetie," Hiram replied as he watched his daughter take a seat next to her boyfriend, who pressed a kiss to her own cheek in greeting.

"I was about to set out breakfast when Hiram volunteered to make breakfast this morning," Shelby told her daughter.

"What kind are you making?" Rachel asked her father.

"Blueberry, of course," Hiram said with a wink, making Rachel giggle.

"It smells delicious," Jesse added, earning a smile from Hiram.

"Since you and Dad are going to be here for a while, you should check out the new Vegan-friendly restaurant just across town."

"Cravings, right? You mentioned it the last time we were here, but we never got a chance to go there."

"Yes. The food is really good, and they have a vegetarian or vegan option for every item on their menu."

"Of course, the food isn't as good as yours," Jesse added, earning a snicker from Shelby and laughter from Rachel and Hiram.

"You don't need to suck up, Jesse," Hiram replied.

"He does have a point, Daddy," Rachel said. "The food is really good, but not as good as anything you've made."

"It's my long list of secret ingredients."

"You've been saying that since our high school cooking class," Shelby said with a laugh.

"That's because it's true."

"Uh-huh."

Hiram simply just laughed as he brought plates filled with pancakes to the table.

"Dad isn't awake?" Rachel asked as Hiram took a seat next to Shelby.

"He wasn't when I left the room. His class meets two nights a week, until nearly ten o'clock. Tonight is one of those nights."

Rachel nodded. She soon found herself immersed in conversation with two of her parents and her boyfriend, the conversation flowing easily between the four of them.

* * *

"So, have you come up with any ideas for the holiday concert?" Jesse asked as he and Rachel walked into school.

"I have a few ideas. I'd like to sing a solo, of course, but in addition to that…if I can convince my mom to sing with me, I'd really like to sing something with her. A duet for us, possibly a duet with Noah."

"Something for Hanukkah?" Jesse asked.

Rachel smiled as she grabbed her books out of her locker.

"Yes. How did you know that's what I was thinking?"

Jesse chuckled as he slid his arm around Rachel's shoulders.

"Because I know  _you_. We're connected, remember?"

Rachel smiled, sliding one of her arms around Jesse's waist as they walked towards the rest of their group.

"I'm still kind of getting used to that. It's nice. Not always having to explain myself."

"I know the feeling."

"It's the  _tortolitos_ ," Santana said with a grin as Jesse and Rachel approached the group.

"Be nice, Satan," Kurt put in.

"I  _am_. For now," Santana answered with a shrug.

"Are you going to be able to learn everything by next week?" Rachel asked Santana and Puck, choosing to change the subject.

"For the Invitational?" Santana wondered.

Rachel nodded.

"We have copies of the music, and your mom said something about meeting with the two best dancers today during rehearsal."

"Brittany and Mike," Jesse said. "They've both been dancing since they were little. They pick up the choreography quickly and they're both very good teachers. It's kind of one less thing Shelby has to worry about, since neither minds when she asks them to help teach a dance."

"The Invitational is next week?" Puck asked.

"Yes, but don't worry, Noah, we'll make sure you're ready. Besides, I think this more regimented schedule will be good for you."

"My mom just says it's less time I'll have for potentially causing trouble."

"Well, she's  _correcta_ ," Santana replied.

Glancing at his watch, Jesse realized they had to get going soon or they'd be late for class.

"We only have a few minutes before class, Rach," Jesse told her.

"I know you still need to stop at your locker, so we should get going, then. I'll see the rest of you later," Rachel replied, following Jesse further down the hall to his own locker.

* * *

Once her morning classes were over, Rachel was happy to find that Jesse was waiting for her outside her classroom. After giving him a quick hug, she took his hand and laced her fingers with his.

"You look worried," Jesse observed.

"Just thinking about things," Rachel answered.

"Can I help?"

"Maybe. I'll tell you about it over lunch."

"Does it have anything to do with us?" Jesse wondered.

At Rachel's confused look, Jesse knew he was wrong.

"No. We're good, aren't we?"

"We're great," Jesse replied. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Rachel smiled up at him.

"I know. It's nothing bad, just something for one of my classes. I'll tell you about it over lunch; you'll probably be able to help me since you've had the class before."

"I can try," Jesse agreed as they walked towards their lockers. "I was also hoping you'd consent to singing a duet with me for the holiday concert."

"I'd love to. Do you have a song picked out?"

"I have a few in mind. I also found a Hanukkah song you could either sing yourself, or maybe even with Puck."

"How is it you seem to remember every little thing about me?" Rachel wondered as she switched her books.

Jesse simply smiled at her.

"I love you and you're the most important person in my life. Remembering the little things is just another way for me to show you that. Besides, I think everything you do makes sense."

Instead of responding with words, Rachel pulled Jesse down for a quick kiss. After making a stop at Jesse's locker, the drama queen and king of Carmel High walked hand in hand down the hall towards the cafeteria, completely oblivious to anyone but themselves.

* * *

After making sure all of the members of her team were in attendance, Shelby began rehearsal.

"Before we begin the run-through of our numbers for the Invitational and Sectionals, I have a few announcements. As you new members may or may not have heard, Principal Hawthorne has asked Vocal Adrenaline to put on this year's holiday concert. I've already gotten a unanimous yes from the rest of the team, but since I want a unanimous yes from the  _entire_  team, I'm asking for your opinions as well. To make this simple, we'll just go by a show of hands."

The six new members of Vocal Adrenaline raised their hands, making the vote a unanimous yes once again and Shelby smile.

"Now that we have that settled….I want the six newest members, as well as anyone who feels they need to work on the dances for either the Invitational or Sectionals, to go to the choir room with Brittany and Mike. They have been kind enough to volunteer to help those of you who are either new or feel you need it. Our Invitational is next Friday and Sectionals are in two months so we don't have much time left. Unless there are any other questions, I'd like to get started."

When none of the members of her team seemed to have any questions, Shelby walked off of the stage, smiling as she saw the six newest members of her team follow her two best dancers backstage so they could take a shortcut to the choir room. By the time she got to her desk, the rest of the team had made their way onto the stage and was awaiting for her to cue the music before they began.

"Are we doing this number by number or straight through?" Rachel asked.

"I want to do this straight through first, and then we'll work on each individual number as needed," Shelby replied before she cued the music.

* * *

By the time they finished running through all six numbers, the entire team had noticed that a few members of the faculty had made their way into the auditorium and were now applauding them.

"I asked Coach Bieste, Ms. Pillsbury-Howell, Coach Michaels, and Mrs. Burns to give us their opinions on the numbers, as audience members," Shelby explained.

"I can't remember them ever sounding better," Shannon Bieste said first.

"I agree with Shannon," Emma agreed. "Rachel and Jesse sound fantastic together, as always, too."

"I don't know much about how everything is supposed to look, but I have to say, you all make everything look effortless," Melinda put in.

"I may have to borrow some of your team members to teach some of my cheerleaders how to properly execute a lift," Kari Michaels added.

"One of your cheerleaders is on my team, so I'm sure she could help," Shelby told her friend.

"I'm curious as to which one is your daughter," Shannon said.

"Can't you guess?" Emma asked her.

"I'd have to say Rachel," Kari answered.

"Your daughter is the female lead?" Shannon asked.

"Yes," Shelby answered. "She deserves it, don't you think?"

Before Shannon could answer, a loud "Yes!" chorused from the stage as various members of Vocal Adrenaline answered for her.

Shelby smiled proudly-not only proud of her daughter, but of her entire team for their loyalty.

"I think your team could teach mine a thing or two about loyalty," Shannon said with a laugh, "and I do agree with them about Rachel."

"Good to hear. Thank you all very much for your input," Shelby said to her friends and fellow faculty members before turning to her team, noticing that the remaining eight members had joined their team sometime in the last few minutes. "That's all for today. You're free to go."

* * *

When Rachel, Jesse, and Shelby returned home, they immediately knew Hiram was cooking again.

"You two go ahead and put your things upstairs, I'll check on dinner," Shelby said.

Rachel and Jesse nodded, making their way upstairs to their rooms while Shelby walked down the hall.

"What are you making for us tonight, Hiram?" Shelby asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Vegan quesadillas and bean salad," Hiram answered. "How was rehearsal?"

"Good. I had a few of the faculty members watch the numbers today. They think everything looks great, and I have to agree. Jesse did a great job leading the team by himself, but with Rachel, they've created a unity I haven't seen before."

"I have a feeling that has to do with the two of them being so solid themselves. How is Rachel liking Carmel?"

"She seems to be really enjoying it, as are her friends. She's making new friends every day, and her talent is revered instead of mocked. I think she's still sort of adjusting to that, but she'll get used to it," Shelby answered with a smile.

"That's what Leroy and I were hoping. Thank you again for letting us live here."

"I sort of like having the house full for a change, actually. It's…comforting. Plus, I'm not going to pass up your cooking."

"I'm happy to help," Hiram told her with a laugh.

* * *

As Shelby and Hiram continued to chat, Rachel walked across the hall to her boyfriend's room. He appeared to be done with his homework, as he was currently sitting on his bed with a bunch of sheet music in front of him.

"Jess?" Rachel asked, getting his attention.

"Hey," he said with a soft smile. "Homework done?"

Rachel nodded before she picked up a piece of music that was lying in front of her boyfriend.

"What's this?" she asked.

"The song I wrote," Jesse answered.

"You wrote a song?"

Jesse nodded before he spoke again.

"Blaine's the only other one who's ever heard it. I might change a few things, I'm not sure yet."

Rachel quickly scanned the lyrics, and then raised confused eyes to Jesse's.

"It's not meant as  _you_  don't make me feel good enough, Rach," he quickly assured her.

"Your parents," Rachel guessed.

Jesse nodded again.

"I wrote it the way I did because if I do perform or record it someday, I think people would be able to relate to it better if it was meant as if I was talking about a lover."

"That's very true," Rachel agreed. "Will you sing it for me sometime?"

Jesse smiled at her.

"Yes. You aren't mad I didn't show you before now?"

"No. Blaine's your best friend  _and_  your cousin. He'd probably understand better than anyone but Genevieve how your parents made you feel. Besides, it would be unfair of me to be mad at you for something I'm guilty of as well."

"You sang an original song for Blaine, too?" Jesse asked in mock confusion.

Rachel laughed as she shook her head.

"No. I wrote a song, too. I'm having trouble putting my lyrics to music, but I don't want to change the lyrics."

"Do your parents know about the song?" Jesse asked.

"No. I'll show it to them when it's finished, though."

"Show who what when it's finished?" Shelby asked as she stood in the doorway.

"My song," Rachel answered.

"You wrote a song?"

"Yes. I have the lyrics, but am having trouble putting them to music. I haven't worked on it for a while, though."

"So that's what you were writing in that notebook of yours," Shelby concluded with a smile. "If you need or want help, just let me know."

Rachel hugged her mother.

"I think I'd like to figure it out on my own, but I'll keep that in mind, thank you."

"You're welcome," Shelby said, returning her daughter's hug.

"I take it dinner is ready," Jesse guessed as he put away his music.

"Yes. I'll see you two downstairs," Shelby answered before she turned and walked back down the hall.

"Do you still feel like you aren't good enough?" Rachel asked as Jesse put the folder with his music back on his desk.

Jesse smiled at her as he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Not anymore.  _You_  make me feel good enough, make me feel like I can do anything."

Rachel returned her boyfriend's smile before she spoke.

"You  _are_  good enough and you  _can_  do anything. Especially with me by your side."

Jesse's smile turned to a grin at his girlfriend's words.

"Come on, I'm hungry and we don't want to be late for dinner."

"It  _does_  smell delicious," Rachel agreed, taking Jesse's hand and lacing her fingers with his.

* * *

After dinner, Rachel and Jesse opted to complete their nightly routines before watching their nightly musical.

"Lights out already?" Jesse asked, noticing Rachel had already turned her lamp off-something she didn't normally do until shortly before she fell asleep.

Rachel nodded as she settled at his side.

"This way I don't have to leave your arms to turn it off after the movie," she replied.

"Good thinking," Jesse agreed, bending his head to give her a soft kiss.

Rachel smiled as she saw what musical Jesse had picked.

"I was hoping you'd pick this one," she said.

"You could have just said you wanted to watch this one."

Rachel shook her head.

"It was your turn to pick. If you didn't pick it, I could have always picked it tomorrow."

"That's true."

Settling her head on Jesse's chest as the movie began, Rachel smiled again as she felt Jesse's arms tighten around her.

* * *

Leroy was on his way to the room he shared with his husband after returning from his class when he heard the DVD menu song of a movie playing from Rachel's room. Noticing the light was already off, he knocked softly. When he didn't receive an answer, he opened the door. Both his daughter and her boyfriend appeared to be fast asleep, cuddled up together on her bed.

He was aware that Shelby let them share a room, but had been a bit wary of that decision until now. Seeing them lying together, Rachel curled into Jesse's side with her head resting on his shoulder, his arms wound tightly around her and his head resting near hers on the pillow, he could clearly see why Shelby had made that decision. With a smile on his face, he turned off the DVD player and then the TV before quietly making his way back out of the room.

Hiram and Shelby often told him that he worried too much, but he knew that a lot of his fears had been laid to rest ever since Jesse had entered Rachel's life. The previous night had only cemented that fact. When all Rachel had to do was  _look_  at Jesse, and he knew exactly what she wanted, exactly what she needed, any remaining doubt about Jesse's intentions that he may have had was wiped away. Since he and Hiram were now living here on a semi-permanent basis, most likely until Rachel graduated, he would not only get to spend more time with his daughter, but would also be able to get to know his future son-in-law better as well, and he could honestly say he was looking forward to both. Their family may not be normal, but he'd long ago learned that being normal was vastly overrated.

* * *

**Spanish Translations:**

Tiene hambre = s/he is hungry (literally translated it means s/he has hunger, but that's not how it's said in English :) )

Tortolidos = lovebirds

Correcta = correct

Abeula = grandmother


	19. Chapter 19

The day of the Invitational, Rachel found herself awake while Jesse was still sleeping-or so she thought. Knowing it was still quite early and she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, but not wanting to wake Jesse, she simply stayed where she was and began to go over everything for later that night in her head.

"Couldn't sleep?" she heard Jesse say a few moments later.

Rachel raised surprised brown eyes to meet her boyfriend's amused blue ones.

"I thought you were still sleeping, and I didn't want to wake you up, so I was going through everything in my head."

Jesse chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I've been doing the same thing, waiting for you to wake up. Are you nervous or excited for tonight?"

"A little bit of both-mostly excited though. It's not like we had to learn everything last minute and hope that no one messes anything up. Granted it could still happen, but it's doubtful," Rachel answered.

Jesse nodded in agreement.

"You do know we won't be home until after the show tonight, right?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm kind of glad we're still having rehearsal though, even if it is shorter than usual."

"I think everyone will be glad we'll be able to run through everything a couple more times before the actual show. We're last-after the band and orchestra play their pieces, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing."

"It's only fair to let them perform first. We're going to be fabulous, after all, and I wouldn't want to perform after us if I were on another team or in either the band or orchestra," Rachel agreed with a grin.

Jesse returned her grin before he leaned over to brush his lips with hers.

"Just one of the many reasons I love you-you think exactly the way that I do."

"It's why we're so good together," Rachel told him.

"One of the many reasons," he agreed. "We have enough spare time that as long as we don't take longer than normal to get ready, we could stop for coffee on the way to school."

"Coffee does sound good, now that you mention it."

With the lure of coffee in mind, both teens opted to finish their morning routines as quickly as possible.

* * *

When they arrived at school, Rachel and Jesse opted to stop at both of their lockers before joining their friends. They were just finishing up at Jesse's locker when their friends approached them.

"Please tell me that's coffee you have," Kurt spoke first.

"Yes, it is," Rachel said with a laugh, handing everyone the cup of coffee with their first initial on it.

" _Muchas gracias_ ,  _necesitaba este_ ," Santana said after taking a sip from her own cup.

"I'm going to guess she's thankful for the coffee," Blaine put in, earning a nod of agreement from Santana.

"If Satan doesn't get her morning caffeine, she gets a little…" Puck said, trailing off at the end of his sentence as he tried to think of the right word.

" _Irritable_ ," Santana supplied, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"I'm not even taking Spanish and I understood that one," Kurt added.

Rachel smiled as she leaned against her boyfriend.

"Are you excited for tonight?" she asked.

"Not as much as you," Puck teased.

"Considering our last show choir was a snooze-fest, I don't blame her at all," Kurt said before Rachel could respond.

Rachel smiled at her best friend before she turned back to her fellow Jew.

"See, Noah? Kurt gets it."

"Of course he does, he's your best friend. Obviously St. James gets it, too," Puck responded.

"Since our rehearsal is shorter today, are we just going over the numbers for tonight again?" Blaine asked Jesse, sort of changing the subject.

"I'm not really sure what Shelby has planned. I know she was talking about giving us time to eat, since we won't be going home until after the concert, but other than that, I have no idea," Jesse answered.

"I overheard her talking to my dads last night, and she was on the phone when we left this morning, but I have no idea who she was talking to," Rachel added.

"Maybe Hiram will cook for all of us, that'd be awesome," Puck guessed.

"It would definitely be better than any fast food or take-out," Blaine agreed.

"Somehow, I doubt you're completely wrong," Jesse said.

"Your sister could make that cake, too," Puck added, once again earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"You and your  _estómago_ ," Santana said with a shake of her head.

"Hey, it was good."

"I'll make sure to pass that along to my sister. It's almost time for class, though, but we'll try and catch Shelby sometime soon to see what's going on with dinner," Jesse said, lacing his fingers with Rachel's.

After saying goodbye to their friends, Rachel and Jesse walked down the hall towards their first classes.

* * *

When Jesse picked Rachel up from her last class before lunch, he noticed that now, instead of excited, she looked worried.

"What's up?" he asked as they began to walk.

"My Mom's birthday is next weekend. I wanted to do something for her, but I don't have any idea what. I've never been here for her birthday before-we usually just go out to eat together or something like that," she answered.

"Well, you did a great job planning my birthday, so I'm sure you can do the same with your Mom's. Since your dads are around, maybe Hiram would be willing to cook again, and I'm pretty sure Gen could make the cake again if you want. She's friends with a few of the teachers here, maybe you could get them to take her out for a girls' lunch or something so we can get everything ready at your house," Jesse suggested as they stopped at Rachel's locker.

Rachel nodded as she switched her books.

"That could work. Ms. Pillsbury-Howell and my Mom seem to be pretty close, maybe she could help get everyone together."

"We could stop and see her during our study hall. I can talk to Gen tonight after the concert, otherwise I can text or call her, too."

"What about your Aunt Janelle?"

"What about her?" Jesse wondered as they walked down to his locker.

"Are she and my Mom close, do you know?" Rachel wondered.

Jesse thought for a moment as he switched his own books.

"I'm not really sure, but I can't see her objecting to a girls' lunch, either. They seemed to get along pretty well the last couple of times they were together. I know she and my Uncle Kevin will be at the concert tonight, too, so we could talk to them then."

Rachel smiled, feeling much better.

"How is it you always know how to make me feel better?" she asked.

Jesse grinned at her as he shut his locker.

"Because you're my soul mate. It's…instinctive."

"Soul mate?" Rachel repeated softly.

Pulling Rachel into a quiet corner, Jesse slid his arms around her waist before he spoke.

"Yes, soul mate. I already told you that I want to marry you, have a family with you. I'm pretty sure your Mom figured out the whole soul mate thing before I did, though."

Rachel wrapped her arms around Jesse's waist and hugged him tightly, not trusting her voice.

"Rach?" Jesse asked, hooking a finger under her chin to tilt her face up so he could look into her eyes, which were currently brimming with tears. "Why the tears?"

"Because," Rachel attempted to explain, "Like I told you before, I wasn't sure...I'd ever find someone to love me for exactly who I am...let alone want a future with me...or tell me that I'm his soul mate. Did I dream about it? Sure, but that doesn't mean I expected it…especially not at fifteen."

"Now that that dream has come true as well, what do you think?"

Rachel gave her boyfriend a watery smile.

"You're my soul mate, too, Jess, you know that. I just…I know that…if you ever…walked away from me…I'm not sure I'd recover," she added, trying to keep the tears at bay.

Jesse moved his hands to frame her face and he rubbed the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks, wiping away the tears.

"I'm not going to walk away from you. Ever. Will we have to be apart for a couple of years while I start college and you finish high school? Yes, but I have no doubt we'll make it work. Then you'll join me in New York and we can start our life together."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Jesse whispered before he leaned down to capture Rachel's lips with his.

Knowing they were at school, they reluctantly kept the kiss short. Once they ended the kiss, Rachel opted to stay in Jesse's arms for a couple more minutes before she reluctantly stepped out of them and took his hand instead.

"Do you mind if we stop at the ladies room before we go to lunch?" she asked.

Jesse chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Sure. Whatever you need."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"For what?" Jesse wondered.

"For being perfect."

"Only for you, sweetheart," Jesse assured her with a smile.

Rachel smiled again as she and Jesse resumed their walk down the hall. Her excitement for tonight was back, and she also felt closer than ever to her boyfriend. She definitely felt that her day couldn't get much better.

* * *

Just as he'd said he would, Jesse went with Rachel to talk to Emma after lunch. She looked like she had just gotten back to her office when they arrived.

"Rachel, Jesse, this is a surprise. Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Great," Rachel answered with a bright smile. "I was actually hoping you would do me a favor."

"I can try," Emma responded, smiling at the young couple in front of her. "What do you need help with?"

"I'm trying to plan a surprise dinner for my Mom's birthday next weekend…but I need help getting her out of the house for the afternoon. I was thinking maybe you could help us organize a girls' lunch, with yourself and some of my Mom's other female friends."

Emma's smile grew.

"You really are a sweet girl, Rachel. I'd love to help. If you give me a time to have her back at the house, I can make sure she'd occupied until then."

"Really?" Rachel asked.

Emma laughed as she nodded.

"Yes. I know Shelby's thrilled to have you with her this year, and from what I hear, she has quite the house full of people now."

"I guess she does," Rachel agreed with a smile. "With me, Jesse, and my dads, she's only got one guest bedroom left versus the four she started out with."

"She's definitely not complaining. Now, tell me more about this surprise dinner you're planning."

As Rachel and Emma talked, Jesse couldn't help but smile. Her excitement for both the Invitational and her Mom's birthday dinner seemed to be growing by the moment, and he really couldn't blame her. He fully expected the entire team to be nearly, if not just as, excited as Rachel was by the time they performed tonight.

* * *

At the end of her music class, Shelby announced that she wanted the students who were also members of Vocal Adrenaline to stay after so she could talk to them about tonight. Once she was alone with her team, Shelby began to speak.

"Since you're all aware that we  _are_  still having rehearsal today, which means you won't be going home until  _after_  the performance tonight, you're all probably wondering what that means for dinner."

Seeing the various nods from members of her team, she was about to speak again when Puck beat her to it.

"Can we order take out from Hiram's kitchen?" he wondered, earning laughter from Rachel, Jesse, Santana, Kurt, and Blaine, and confused looks from the rest of the group.

"Actually, Hiram  _has_  volunteered to bring us dinner. He and Leroy will be bringing it by later," Shelby revealed with a smile.

"Sweet," Puck responded, this time earning laughter from the entire team and Shelby.

"Who's Hiram?" Chris wondered.

"One of my dads," Rachel responded.

"You have more than one?" Nina asked.

Rachel nodded, preparing to defend her family if necessary.

"I have two. They're married," she responded.

"So you have two dads  _and_  a mom?" Andrea wondered.

Rachel nodded again, still unsure whether the questions were positive or not.

"Yes. It's great."

"They all spoil her rotten," Jesse put in.

"Like you don't," Kurt retorted.

"He's got you there, St. James," Puck added.

Jesse simply grinned and shrugged.

"Guilty as charged," he said.

As the laughter from her team died down, Shelby once again got their attention.

"You're all welcome to stay in here or use the auditorium, so long as you aren't disruptive. I'll see you in about an hour. I'll be in my office if anyone needs me."

* * *

Nearly an hour later, when she walked into the auditorium, Shelby wasn't surprised to find that her entire team was already there. They were spread out in smaller groups, but they were all there. She was happy to see that Nina and Andrea had joined Rachel, Jesse, and the rest of the people they usually hung out with. As she made her way onto the stage, she caught Rachel's eye and saw her whisper something to Jesse before she walked onto the stage.

"Hi, baby," Shelby said with a smile.

"Hi. Everything all set for tonight?" Rachel responded.

"Yes. You seem excited."

"Everyone's been saying that today."

"You're very expressive, my darling daughter," Shelby told her with a laugh.

"Jesse says that, too. He also called me his soul mate."

"That's good, right?"

Rachel nodded enthusiastically.

"It's great, but he also said that he thinks you knew before either of us did."

"Maybe," Shelby responded, unsuccessfully trying to hide her smile.

"It's why you were so accommodating with us."

"Part of it was that, yes. Your dads and I also genuinely like Jesse, and it's very clear you two make each other happy. None of us have the heart to get in the way of that. Your Dad had his concerns, as I'm sure you're aware, but ever since last week, he seems to have dropped them completely."

Rachel thought for a moment before she spoke.

"I wonder if it was Dad who shut off our movie. We fell asleep watching a movie a few nights ago, when we woke up, the DVD player and the TV were turned off. I thought it was you that did that."

Shelby shook her head.

"Not that night, no. Did your Dad have class that night?"

"I think so. Why?"

"I remember Hiram stopping by my room to say goodnight and that he was going to do some work in his and Leroy's room before going to bed. They're next to Jesse's room, not yours, so I'm not sure he could have heard your TV. Walking past your room, your Dad probably did, though. He would have seem you and Jesse asleep together, and I'd bet that's what changed his mind."

"Just seeing us asleep together?" Rachel wondered.

Shelby smiled and ran a hand over her daughter's hair.

"Yes, baby. The way you two hold each other, it's very cute and very telling. You two hardly move; you're completely comfortable and relaxed with each other. Plus, the way Jesse holds you make it seems like he'd protect you from anything, even in your dreams."

Rachel returned her mother's smile.

"I can see how that would make Dad stop worrying so much. I did wonder, but I didn't want to make him change his mind by asking."

"He still worries, but just not as much. I need to get rehearsal started, though, so why don't you go ahead and let everyone know to get changed and then meet me back on the stage?"

"Sure," Rachel said agreeably before giving her mother a quick hug and then descending the stage to let the rest of her teammates what was going on.

* * *

"How did I get roped into this again?" Joel asked his fiancée as he helped her, Hiram, and Leroy carry the food into the school.

Genevieve smiled at him.

"Because you love me, and you wanted to meet Jesse. You'll probably meet Rachel as well, since they're rarely apart."

"Most likely Puck, Santana, Kurt, and Blaine, too, since the six of them are together the majority of the time," Leroy added as they got closer to the auditorium.

"Puck?" Joel asked.

"Noah Puckerman. He's a chidlhood friend of Rachel's from Lima. She's one of the few people who can get away with calling him Noah. The only one of their friends," Hiram answered.

Joel nodded. He'd heard bits and pieces about everyone that was now a part of Genevieve's life, but hadn't had a chance to meet any of them since he had been busy getting settled after his arrival a few days ago.

Once everything had been set up in the choir room, he walked with the small group to the auditorium, where he could hear music and singing. Taking a cue from Hiram and Leroy, he and Genevieve took seats near the back as they waited for the group on stage to finish. When they ended the last song, Shelby stood up.

"Great job. Much better this time. Now, you all can change out of your costumes and then head on back to the choir room, where your food is waiting. I'll meet you there in a couple of minutes," she told them.

Joel watched in a bit of amazement as the group simply did as they were told.

"Are they always that obedient?" he asked Genevieve.

"I have no idea, but I would guess yes," she responded.

"Doesn't seem like normal teenage behavior, right?" Leroy asked the younger man, who nodded.

"Every single one of these kids loves music and enjoys performing. They aren't all into musical theater the way Jesse and Rachel are, but they all do take their performances seriously. They'd be off the team in a heartbeat if Shelby thought otherwise. These are the best performers at Carmel and Shelby only makes them better," Hiram explained.

"I try at least," Shelby said as she joined the group.

"Well, I'd say you do a wonderful job," Leroy said, standing to hug her.

After receiving a hug from Hiram, and then Genevieve, she noticed the newest member of their group.

"You must be Joel," Shelby guessed with a smile.

"Joel Andrews," he replied, returning Shelby's smile as he shook her hand.

"Shelby Corcoran. I'm Rachel's mother," Shelby responded, studying the tall, dark-haired man before her.

He was about the same height as Leroy, with a slightly tan skin tone, black hair and blue eyes.

"We might as well meet everyone in the choir room, maybe we can get to the food before the teenagers get to it," Leroy said with a laugh.

Hiram held up a bag no one had noticed before.

"Already taken care of. If the boys are anything like Noah, I'm sure that food will be gone in no time."

"Come on, I want you to meet Jesse," Genevieve said, taking her fiancé's hand.

Joel nodded, making conversation with her and the rest of the adults while they all walked to the choir room.

* * *

When he walked into the choir room, Jesse saw his sister, Rachel's parents, and a man he was unfamiliar with, but guessed to be Joel.

"We'll save you seats," Kurt said helpfully.

"Mind if I tag along?" Blaine asked Jesse.

"You and Berry go with St. James, the rest of us will make sure there are seats for you," Puck answered before Jesse could say anything.

"Thank you, Noah," Rachel said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

" _Tengo hambre_ ," Santana put in, grabbing Puck's hand and leading him over to the tables with the food.

"I guess that's my cue," Kurt said with a laugh, following the other two while Rachel, Jesse, and Blaine walked over to the small group of adults by the piano.

Hiram was the first to notice them.

"Ah, just who we were looking for," he said with a smile.

"The food smells great, Daddy," Rachel said with a smile.

"It took me long enough to make," Hiram joked. "Genevieve even volunteered her kitchen to help out."

"Pestering him for recipes already, Gen?" Jesse teased his sister.

"I didn't  _pester_  him, he gave them to me  _willingly_ , thank you very much," Genevieve responded with a smile and a laugh.

"Be nice," Rachel mock-scolded her boyfriend.

"You should listen to your girlfriend," Genevieve told her brother.

"I do listen to her," Jesse responded. "And I  _am_  being nice. I'm just trying to make up for six years of not being around to be the typical little brother."

Genevieve and Shelby rolled their eyes good-naturedly while Hiram and Leroy laughed. Joel looked like he wanted to laugh, but he wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. He knew things had gotten better with Jesse and Genevieve, but he hadn't expected them to start teasing each other.

"Joel, this is my  _little brother_ , Jesse. Jesse, this is my fiancé, Joel Andrews," Genevieve said, introducing the two.

As he shook Jesse's hand, Joel studied the teen in front of him. His eyes were a little darker than Genevieve's and his hair was brown instead of blonde, but they both had curly hair. The family resemblance was there, but it was subtle. Just as he brought his attention back to his fiancée, he heard her introduce the other curly-haired boy beside Jesse.

"Our cousin, Blaine Anderson. His mother is Jesse's and my father's sister," Genevieve explained.

"Nice to meet you," Blaine said with a smile as he shook hands with Joel.

"I'm sure you can guess who the girl at my brother's side is, but I'll tell you anyway. This is Rachel Berry, she's Jesse's girlfriend, and Hiram, Leroy, and Shelby's daughter," Genevieve told her fiancé, finishing the introductions.

Joel turned his attention to the petite brunette at Jesse's side. Her hand was clasped tightly in Jesse's and their fingers were laced together, but she otherwise appeared to be very calm.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Rachel said with a smile.

"I'm sure you get told this a lot, but you look a lot like your mother," Joel told her, returning her smile.

Rachel smiled as she nodded.

"I do, but I don't mind. Jesse and Genevieve look alike too, but it's not quite so…obvious, I guess."

Joel nodded in agreement.

"I can see it with Blaine as well."

"I'm sure you're hungry, so you go eat, we'll talk to you all later," Genevieve said, giving each of the teens a hug.

After giving each of her parents a hug as well, Rachel followed Jesse and Blaine as they served themselves food and then went to sit by their friends. When the group was reunited, Rachel was pleasantly surprised to find that Nina and Andrea had once again joined them.

* * *

"Think your dad would ever consider opening a restaurant?" Andrea joked as Rachel, Jesse, and Blaine took their seats.

Rachel giggled as she glanced over at her Daddy.

"Possibly. It's not like he doesn't know how to run a successful business as well. Maybe Joel could design it."

"Do you live with your dads or your Mom?" Nina wondered.

"Both, actually," Jesse answered before Rachel could reply.

"I'm not from Akron," Rachel explained. "I'm from Lima. That's where my dads' house is. My Mom has lived in Akron since she moved back to Ohio. My dads are staying with me at her house while I finish high school."

"Do you call them both dad?" Andrea asked.

"What is this, an  _interrogatorio_?" Santana wondered.

"Satan, be nice. They're just curious," Kurt put in.

"I don't mind, they're honest questions," Rachel told her friends before she turned back to the older girl on her other side. "I call them Dad and Daddy."

"Leroy is Dad, Hiram is Daddy," Jesse clarified, sharing a smile with his girlfriend.

"I'd love to have three parents who loved me as much as yours clearly do," Nina said quietly.

"I hear you there," Puck told her. "It's just been me, my mom, and my little sister since I was young."

"I have my  _abeula_ , she lives with us, she sort of raised my brother and me since my parents both work so much," Santana added.

"Has Noah met your  _abeula_  yet?" Rachel wondered, changing the subject to a happier one.

"Talk about an  _interrogatorio_ ," Puck answered as Santana just laughed. "I'm not sure there's a question she  _didn't_  ask me."

"Maybe she just liked you so much that she simply wanted to know everything about you," Rachel suggested with a laugh.

"She does ask me about you a lot," Santana said, as if the thought had just occurred to her.

"Great," Puck muttered.

"Hey, at least she only asks you questions, when she was alive, our Great-Grandma St. James used to pinch our cheeks and tell us how cute we were," Blaine said with a laugh.

"Oh, God, don't remind me," Jesse groaned.

"My Grandpa Kensington always pats me on the head, and I have no idea why. It's only me, too. None of my cousins or my siblings get it either, just me," Nina put in.

Rachel smiled as everyone began to exchange stories about odd things that grandparents had a tendency to do and various other stories from their childhoods. She knew they would soon have to get ready for the Invitational, and she was excited to be able to perform again, but for now, she was content to sit with her boyfriend and their friends, enjoying the various topics as conversation flowed easily between all of them.

* * *

**Spanish Translations:**

_muchas gracias =_  thank you very much

 _necesitaba este =_ I needed this

 _irritable =_  irritable

 _ _estómago_  =_ stomach

 _abuela =_ grandmother/grandma

 _tengo hambre =_  I'm hungry (literally translated it means I have hunger, but since we don't say it that way in English, it's I'm hungry)

 _interrogatorio =_  interrogation


	20. Chapter 20

As she stood backstage with the rest of her team, watching the final number of the Carmel High band, Rachel was practically bouncing with excitement. She probably would have been, but Jesse had his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly against him. Since she wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to be in his arms, she stood as still as she could manage.

"Do I even need to ask if you're nervous at all?" Jesse teased.

Rachel turned in her boyfriend's arms so she could look at him.

"Honestly, I  _am_  a little nervous, but like you keep telling me, you'll be right there beside me, and we've rehearsed this so many times I'm pretty sure we could do it in our sleep. I feel better since we got to rehearse in our costumes a bunch of times, too," she answered.

"It'll be great. It's kind of nice to know I have family out there this year, family that actually wants to be here."

Rachel smiled up at Jesse.

"I kind of think Genevieve was just as excited as I am and she's not performing."

"I think you're right."

Before either teen could say anything else, they saw Shelby approach, which meant they would be taking their places on stage soon. After stealing one last quick kiss, they both turned to face her.

"Everyone ready?" she asked.

Once she'd received nods from every member of her team, she motioned towards the stage, which now had the front curtain lowered. Taking their cue, the members of Vocal Adrenaline assembled themselves on the stage, with Shelby watching on from the side. Once the announcer had said their name and the curtain had been raised, they began their first song.

 _Ohio, Ohio, Ohiooooo_  
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'  
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know  
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine  
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go…

* * *

Unbeknownst to the team currently occupying the stage, the newest additions to the show choir world sat in the audience panicking.

" _That's_  our competition?" asked a boy in a wheelchair, the first in the row of people from McKinley High School.

Sitting a few people down from him, his show choir director nodded. Will Schuester knew it wasn't very professional to have his mouth pretty much hanging open in surprise, but that's pretty much how he was feeling right now. He hadn't even thought to check out the other teams online, though he was now greatly regretting that oversight. The team on the stage right now was precise and perfectly in sync, their large number of members moving around on the stage effortlessly.

"I'll just blow them all away with my voice," the African-American girl sitting beside their choir director said confidently.

"I'm glad you have confidence, Mercedes," he said.

"Thanks, Mr. Schue."

"I think we're d-d-doomed," the Asian girl sitting between Mercedes and the boy in the wheel chair.

"Ya'll need more confidence," Mercedes insisted.

"Well, let's see what else they've got," Will said with a sigh, sitting back to try to enjoy the rest of the show, but knowing he probably wouldn't be able to.

 _Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah_  
Yeah Yeah Yeah  
Yeah Yeah Yeah  
I love you (uh,uh)  
But I gotta stay true (uh,uh)  
My morals got me on my knees  
I'm begging please stop playing games (uh,uh)...

* * *

As Vocal Adrenaline easily moved on to their second song, Hiram turned to his husband with a smile in his voice.

"I'm not sure who seems happier to be on stage right now, Rachel or Jesse," he whispered.

Leroy chuckled softly.

"If I had to pick, I'd pick Rachel. Shelby said she's practically been bouncing up and down with excitement all day."

"I'd say Jesse is a close second," Genevieve added softly from beside Leroy. "He's always loved to perform, but he looks thrilled to be up there, as does Rachel."

"They all kind of do," Joel put in from the other side of Genevieve.

Hiram and Leroy nodded in agreement before they both, along with Genevieve and Joel, turned their attention back to the team on the stage.

* * *

 _When marimba rhythms start to play_  
Dance with me, make me sway  
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore  
Hold me close, sway me more...

Watching her team perform the third and final song for the night, Shelby smiled proudly. Although this particular concert, as well as their upcoming holiday one, were not competitions, she still pushed her team to be and do their best. She'd purposely not handed out any full solos for these numbers. Not only because she didn't like to give the competition that may or may not be sitting in the audience any sort of heads up as to what they would come up against if they faced her team, but because she always felt that this particular concert was a good way to help everyone learn to work as a team. They had done that faster than ever this year, which she contributed to Jesse and Rachel providing a good example for everyone to learn from. When she heard the end of the song, she joined in the applause, her smile widening when she saw that they were also receiving a standing ovation from the audience.

* * *

Once they were backstage, Jesse picked Rachel up and spun her around. When he set her back on her feet, she rose on her tiptoes to steal a quick kiss from him before she grabbed his hand and led him out into the lobby, where their family was waiting.

"I see my dads," Rachel said excitedly.

"I recognize my sister and Joel, obviously, but the other three with them I don't," Jesse replied.

When Rachel promptly let out a squeal of excitement, Jesse knew that his girlfriend  _did_  recognized them. As they approached, it was clear the three women recognized Rachel as well.

"Aunt Sara, Aunt Isabel, Aunt Zoe, I didn't know you were going to be here," Rachel said after receiving hugs from both of her fathers and while Jesse talked to his sister and Joel.

"We wanted to surprise you, so we didn't mention anything about them coming. When I asked Shelby if it was okay if Leroy and I invited our sisters, she said that was perfectly fine, especially considering she'd already invited her own," Hiram explained.

"Speaking of Mom, where is she?" Rachel wondered.

"I'll go find her," Sara said, bending to give Rachel a hug.

"I want to introduce you both to some people first," Rachel said as she hugged first Zoe, then Isabel.

As if sensing that Rachel wanted his attention, Jesse walked back over to her, Genevieve and Joel not far behind him.

"Aunt Zoe, Aunt Isabel, Aunt Sara, this is my boyfriend, Jesse St. James, his sister, Genevieve, and her fiancé, Joel Andrews. Jesse, Genevieve, Joel, this is my Mom's sister, Sara, my Dad's sister, Zoe, and my Daddy's sister, Isabel," Rachel said, sliding an arm around Jesse's waist.

While Zoe chatted with the new group, Sara and Isabel studied the tall, dark-haired man standing next to Genevieve. He looked familiar for some reason, but neither could quite place it.

"You're trying to figure out who he looks like, aren't you?" Hiram asked them.

"He looks familiar, but…oh my God, it can't be," Sara replied.

"What can't it be?" Isabel asked.

Ignoring the question, Sara turned to Joel.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are your parents' names?" she asked.

"Jason and Laura, why?" Joel asked, clearly confused.

"Laura Fielding?" Sara continued, ignoring his question as well.

"That's my mother's maiden name, yes. How do you know my parents?"

"We went to High School with them," Hiram explained. "Sara was two years ahead of Jason and Jack, Lauren was in the grade above Shelby and me, two grades above Isabel."

"I knew they went here, but I had no idea you knew them. Jack doesn't really talk about high school much; at least he avoids his senior year if he does. He's only mentioned that he met my dad that year, that they hit it off pretty much instantly, and have been best friends ever since. My parents always gave him this sympathetic look when he talks about that year, but I could never figure out why," Joel said with a shrug.

"Just please don't mention anything to Shelby," Sara requested.

"Will Jack be at the wedding?" Rachel asked.

"As far as I know, he plans on it," Joel answered.

"I'm still a little lost," Genevieve admitted, Joel nodding in agreement beside her.

"I think I finally figured it out," Rachel said quietly, her suspicions being confirmed by the looks on her father's and aunts' faces.

"It all makes so much sense now," Isabel agreed.

As the various members of the Corcoran-Berry-St. James family contemplated the new information, they were joined by Blaine, Kurt, Santana, Puck, and their families. Once introductions were made, the large group talked amongst themselves while they waited for Shelby.

* * *

When Shelby walked into the lobby a few minutes later, she saw that there was now a rather large group assembled and she only recognized about half of them.

"Am I missing the party?" Shelby joked as she joined the group.

Rachel momentarily disentangled herself from her boyfriend so she could hug her mother.

"What took you so long?" she asked.

"I just wanted to make sure I had everything ready for Monday so I didn't have to worry about it this weekend, especially since your aunts are here," Shelby answered, returning her daughter's hug.

"Are you up for some more singing tonight, Berry?" Puck asked Rachel as she moved back into Jesse's embrace.

"Always," she answered with a grin.

"We could use the karaoke machine downstairs," Kurt suggested.

Rachel looked up at her mother, silent question in her eyes.

"Everyone is welcome at my house for a while tonight if they'd like," Shelby answered with a smile for her daughter.

Rachel hugged her mother again before she grabbed Jesse's hand and started leading him out the door, squealing in surprise when he picked her up bridal-style and started to carry her.

"I think that's our cue," Blaine said to his boyfriend, who simply smiled and nodded.

* * *

As everyone began to make their way outside to their respective vehicles, Sara fell into step beside her sister.

"Rachel seems happier than ever," she observed.

Shelby nodded in agreement.

"I'm pretty sure she is."

"I wish my kids were as well-behaved as Rachel is. I think she could teach her cousins a thing or two."

"Where are Liam and Holly anyway?"

"Liam and Nick had a boys' night planned, and Holly has a date."

"You don't sound very pleased," Shelby noticed as she and Sara approached her car.

Sara slid into the passenger seat of her sister's car before she answered.

"No, I'm not. She's a year older than Rachel, so it's not like she isn't old enough, but her taste in boys is…questionable."

Shelby bit back a laugh as she began to drive. She knew Sara wouldn't ever admit it, but she'd dated a few questionable boys of her own when they were growing up. She felt for her sister, but she also knew their parents would probably say it was only fair that Sara had a daughter as difficult as she had been.

* * *

Once the six teenagers had changed out of their costumes, they all settled in the basement. Kurt and Blaine were looking through songs on the karaoke machine while Puck and Santana looked through the various movies that were kept on the other side of the room, and Rachel and Jesse talked quietly.

"I kind of feel bad for sort of abandoning my aunts," Rachel said, resting her head on Jesse's chest.

Jesse ran his hands through Rachel's hair as he spoke.

"Are they here just for tonight?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"You could invite them to sing."

"I could. In a little bit I think I will. I don't really want to move right now."

"We'll have to soon, though. I think Kurt and Blaine found a song."

Rachel looked over at her friends, who were now testing the microphones, and nodded. Wanting to spend time with her friends, but not wanting to stop being near Jesse, she grabbed his hand and led him closer to the stage.

"What are you singing?" Rachel asked.

"You'll see," Kurt replied with a grin.

As soon as Puck and Santana joined Rachel and Jesse in front of the stage, Blaine cued the music. Rachel smiled as Blaine, and then Kurt, began to sing, recognizing the song almost immediately.

**Don't go breaking my heart**

_I couldn't if I tried_

**Honey if I get restless**

_Baby you're not that kind…_

After Blaine and Kurt finished their duet, Jesse and Rachel walked over to the karaoke machine and began to look through the songs as they decided which one they'd like to sing. Once they'd decided on a song, they both made their way onto the stage. Pressing a quick kiss to Rachel's cheek, Jesse waited for her to begin the song, joining his voice with hers for the chorus.

 _I hear the ticking of the clock_  
I'm lying here the room's pitch dark  
I wonder where you are tonight  
No answer on the telephone…

* * *

Later that night, after almost everyone had left, Sara pulled her sister aside.

"I need to talk to you," she said.

"I already know," Shelby stated calmly.

Sara shot her sister a confused look.

"You already know  _what_?" she asked.

"That Joel's father is Jack's best friend. I'm dealing with it, you don't need to worry."

"You're ignoring it, not dealing with it."

"I know you're my older sister and you're always going to look out for me, but honestly, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're going to ignore this until Jack is actually here and you have to deal with him."

"He moved on, so have I, it's  _fine_ , Sara. I really don't want to talk about this anymore."

"You think you have, but you're the one who's always saying how once you find your soul mate, you never really get over them. I know you were hurt by what happened, you can't tell me you weren't."

"He  _married_  someone else, Sara. They have children and are happy together, I'm sure. I'll deal with it when the time comes."

Sara sighed, knowing she wouldn't get anywhere by arguing with her sister.

"Fine, but I'm here if you need me."

Shelby hugged her sister.

"I know. Thank you."

* * *

After finishing her nightly routine, Rachel was happy to see that her boyfriend was already lounging on her bed, waiting for her.

"So, what is it exactly that you all figured out tonight?" Jesse asked as Rachel settled in his arms.

"I'm a bit fuzzy on all of it yet myself, but I think I finally figured out why my Mom kept telling me to listen to my heart," Rachel answered.

"Like a lost love type of thing?"

Rachel nodded before she began to speak again.

"I think so. I didn't get a chance to ask my Aunt Sara about it before she left, but it obviously has to do with whoever this Jack person is, and what he meant to my mother."

"Do you think your Mom knows?"

"I'm not sure. I would guess she does, though, she doesn't miss much."

"Should be interesting, I guess."

"I can't even begin to imagine how much realizing that you let your soul mate walk away must hurt, and I'm glad I don't have to."

"Me, too," Jesse agreed, tightening his arms around Rachel.

"I'm still not looking forward to next year," Rachel said quietly.

"It won't be forever, or for very long if I can help it. I could always go to OSU for two years, maybe convince Shelby to let me be Vocal Adrenaline's assistant coach…" Jesse volunteered.

Rachel shook her head.

"No. New York is as much my dream as it is yours. You deserve to be able to go to Tisch or Julliard, or wherever you decide you want to go."

"It's not like OSU is a bad school."

"It's not of the same caliber as Tisch or Julliard, though."

"Rach, you're the most important part of my life. I want to make you happy."

"You  _do_  make my happy, Jess. I just don't want you to resent me later in life because you gave up two years in New York for me."

"I wouldn't," Jesse insisted. "Two years, even four years, doesn't even begin to compare to the rest of my life. I'll do whatever it takes to make us work."

Rachel smiled up at her boyfriend, who leaned down to brush his lips with hers before he let her speak.

"I know, and I'm incredibly grateful that you feel that way, and you know I feel the same way. We'll figure something out. New York isn't  _that_  far away. I'm not looking forward to it, but I'm confident we'll make it work."

"Good. We'll talk about it some more another time, though. Right now, I think we should both get some sleep."

Rachel brushed her lips with Jesse's once more before she settled her head on his chest and closed her eyes, promptly falling asleep. With a small smile, Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of Rachel's head before he closed his eyes, eager to join the love of his life in dreamland.

* * *

After breakfast the next day, Jesse and Rachel decided to take a trip to the music store at the mall. As they walked in, Rachel wasn't surprised when Jesse led them over to the section of the store where the sheet music was kept. A short while later, after spotting a piano not far from where he was standing, he turned to ask Rachel to sing with him when he noticed she wasn't by his side anymore. Glancing around, he saw her looking through some books of sheet music on a nearby shelf. With a smile, he walked over to her, stopping when he was on the other side of the shelf from her. His smile turned into a smirk as he recognized the artist whose music Rachel was looking at and pushed the book down with his fingers.

"Lionel Richie, huh? One of my favorites," he asked.

"Oh my God, you're Jesse St. James, You're in Vocal Adrenaline," Rachel replied in mock surprise.

"And you're Rachel Berry. I saw your performance of  _Don't Rain on My Parade_. It was flawed-you totally lacked Barbra's emotional depth…but you're talented," Jesse told her, taking the book out of her hands and walking towards another nearby section of the store.

Doing her best not to smile or laugh, Rachel silently followed him as he continued talking.

"I like to come and flip through the celebrity biographies-pick up some lifestyle tips," he said before holding up the book she had previously been holding. "What do you say we take it for a spin?"

"Here? I-I'm kinda nervous," Rachel said, playing along.

Biting back a laugh as he sat down on the piano bench, Jesse opted to just sigh dramatically instead.

"I remember when I used to get nervous. Come on, I do this all the time. I like to give impromptu concerts for the homeless. It's so important to give back."

As she bit back a laugh of her own, Rachel simply nodded as Jesse began to play the opening notes to their song.

 _I've been alone with you inside my mind_  
And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times  
I sometimes see you pass outside my door  
Hello, is it me you're looking for?...

After they'd finished singing, Rachel acted surprised that people were now applauding them. Jesse glanced around before he looked back at his girlfriend.

"We should do this more often," he said to her. "How's Friday night?"

"How about  _every_  night?" Rachel responded with a laugh as she leaned closer to Jesse.

"Deal," Jesse said, closing the gap between them to brush his lips with hers.

"Was my performance really flawed?" Rachel asked with a slight pout as she and Jesse walked away from the piano.

Jesse laughed as he followed his girlfriend.

"No. It was perfect. I can still picture the shocked looks on pretty much everyone's faces. That's a day we'll have to tell our kids about someday."

Rachel smiled up at him.

"I think they'd get a kick out of this one, too."

Jesse nodded in agreement as he slid his arm around her waist.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to look around some more, and then I'll take you to Cravings for lunch."

"Sounds perfect," Rachel agreed as she and Jesse continued to look through the various items the store carried.

* * *

Alone in the music room, Shelby searched through her music to find a song that would properly express how she was feeling. Hiram and Leroy knew everything-Hiram had confessed to telling Leroy when she'd spoken to him after Sara had left the night before. She wasn't as okay as she'd tried to make her sister, or even Hiram and Leroy, believe, but she was determined to get there, though. To get to a place where she once again only thought of Jack every once in a while. She was happy with her life and she wouldn't give up having Rachel for anything, but she still couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she hadn't pushed Jack away, if she had listened to him instead of Blake.

"Shelby?" Hiram asked, walking into the room and startling Shelby.

Shelby turned to face her long-time friend.

"Is everything okay?" she wondered.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing…if there was anything I could do to help," Hiram answered.

Shelby sighed and shrugged.

"I'm still kind of in shock I think. I'm trying to figure out how to both prepare myself for seeing him again and getting back to a place where I don't think about him very often. It's just kind of difficult not wonder what if, that's all."

Hiram smiled sympathetically.

"I understand. What music do you have there?"

Shelby handed the sheet music to Hiram, who gave her a look that told her he knew why she'd picked this song.

"Do you want to sing it?" he asked.

"I was debating on that when you walked in."

"Could be therapeutic," Hiram offered with a shrug.

"It was the last song he sang before our argument."

"I know. I was around when this all happened, remember?"

Shelby nodded, setting the music down on the piano.

"Maybe later. I told Sara I'd call her today, and Rachel was saying something about a family musical night later, so I should probably call my sister now before I forget and she berates me for it."

Hiram chuckled as he nodded.

"I'll just go run my errands now then. How many people are we expecting for this family musical night, do you know?"

"I'm not sure. I would plan for a lot of people, though."

"I'll give Rachel a call and see what she says, but you're probably right," Hiram said, giving Shelby a hug before walking out of the room.

Following Hiram out of the room with her cell phone already pressed to her ear, Shelby didn't give the sheet music still lying on the piano a second glance as her thoughts turned to the surprise she was planning for her daughter.

* * *

 **A/N 2:** For anyone who's wondering, the pronunciation for Shelby's sister's name is saw-rah, not sare-rah


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee :( I don't own  _Unchained Melody_  or  _Impossible/It's Possible_  either.

* * *

When she and Jesse returned home from lunch, Rachel quickly stowed her purchases in her room before she went in search of her mother. Figuring she was either in her room or downstairs in the music room, Rachel opted to try her room first. She found that she was actually slightly surprised that her Mom was in her room rather than in the music room.

"Rachel. Is everything okay?" Shelby wondered.

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Everything's fine, Mom. I wanted to talk to you, though."

Shelby stepped back from the doorway so Rachel could walk past her and into the room. Once they had both taken seats on the bed, Rachel spoke again.

"I was hoping we could have a mother-daughter lunch tomorrow."

Shelby smiled at her daughter.

"I'd like that. Where would you like to go?"

"I'm not sure yet. You can decide. As long as they have something there I can eat, I don't care where we go."

"I'll take a look at some places, narrow it down to two or three, then you and I can make the final decision together," Shelby suggested.

"Okay," Rachel agreed with a smile.

"How was the mall?"

"So much fun. Jesse and I gave an impromptu performance at the music store."

"That sounds like Jesse," Shelby said with a laugh. "What did you sing?"

* * *

After she'd finished filling her mother in on the performance at the music store in the mall, Rachel went in search of her boyfriend. When she didn't hear the piano or Jesse singing, she walked down the hall to his room. She was about to knock on the door when he opened it.

"Hi," Jesse greeted her with a grin.

"Hi," Rachel responded, returning her boyfriend's grin as he slid his arm around her shoulders and began to walk downstairs with her.

"Did you get everything set up with your Mom?" he wondered.

"Yes. I don't know where we're going yet, though, but I'm sure we'll figure it out either later tonight or tomorrow morning."

"You seem excited."

"I am. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with you, but I hate that I haven't been able to spend much time with my Mom outside of school and rehearsal lately."

"Sometimes I wish my mother and I were on better terms," Jesse remarked as they walked into the music room.

"Sometimes I wish I had a sibling. I love my parents and I know that I may not have been able to do everything I was able to as a child if I had one, but I can't help but wonder what it would be like."

"I understand. I used to wish I had a brother rather than a sister, and that the brother would be closer in age to me. Then I realized that even though Gen got my nerves sometimes, I'd much rather have her for a sibling than Cooper."

"Is Cooper really so bad?" Rachel wondered as she studied the piece of music that had been sitting on the piano.

"Blaine would probably tell you yes, but he's really not. They're only a couple of years apart, though, so it's a different situation for them."

Rachel nodded in agreement as she continued to study the piece of music in front of her.

"Where did you find that?" Jesse wondered as he saw the confused look on his girlfriend's face.

"It was just sitting on the piano-like someone had been looking at it, then set it down and forgot about it," Rachel answered.

"It's a music room…it's bound to happen sooner or later, don't you think?"

"I guess it could, it's just odd. None of my parents are really the type to do something like that, and it wasn't here this morning so it had to be one of them."

Jesse chuckled and pressed a kiss to his girlfriend's cheek.

"I wouldn't worry about it, sweetheart. Maybe one of them was looking at it and then got a phone call or something and forgot about it."

"Maybe. Can we sing it?"

"I don't see why not," Jesse answered, taking the music and setting it in its proper place before taking a seat next to Rachel on the piano bench.

"I want you to sing it," Rachel told her boyfriend as he played the opening notes.

After pressing a quick kiss to Rachel's cheek, Jesse began to sing.

_Whoa my love, my darling,_  
I've hungered for your touch,  
a long, Lonely time.  
And time goes by, so slowly,  
And time can do so much,  
Are you still mine?  
I need your love.  
I need your love.  
God speed your love to me…

* * *

As she was walking downstairs, Shelby heard the opening notes of an all-too-familiar melody. She remembered Jack singing that song, the last song she'd ever hear him sing, though she hadn't known that at the time.

He had picked it as part of an assignment for their music class. They'd been instructed to pick a song that they often heard their parents play, but that had to have been released before they were born. Jack had been one of the first to volunteer; he'd later told her he picked that particular song because he had missed her a lot while he had been on his spring break trip.

Once she worked up the courage to look for him, she had decided she was going to sing it to him when they were reunited. That was before she'd found out he was engaged to someone else, and it was something she hadn't revealed to anyone, not even her sister. Even though the song brought back some still painful memories, she had to admit that Jesse was singing the song beautifully, just the way it was meant to be sung.

* * *

Just as Jesse finished singing, both he and Rachel were surprised when they heard the sound of applause. Neither had been paying much attention to anything but either the music or each other so they hadn't noticed the small crowd that was now gathered in the room. At the look that passed between Shelby and Hiram, Jesse suddenly knew why the song had been lying on the piano and who had left it there. After exchanging a look with his girlfriend, Jesse stood and walked over to his sister to hug her.

"Can we talk alone?" Genevieve asked Jesse as she returned his hug.

"Uh, sure," Jesse responded before he turned to Shelby. "Do we have time for me to show Genevieve around a little?"

Shelby glanced at Hiram, who nodded, before she turned back to Jesse.

"Sure, go ahead."

"Rachel, I could use your help in the kitchen, if you don't mind," Hiram said to his daughter, having overheard Genevieve's request.

"Sure, Daddy," Rachel replied, pressing a quick kiss to Jesse's cheek before she walked over to where her parents stood.

"I guess that means you and I get to make sure everything is set up correctly," Leroy said to Shelby.

"How can I help?" Joel asked, already aware of what his fiancée wanted to ask her brother.

"How are you at making popcorn?" Hiram asked jokingly.

Joel grinned as he nodded.

"It's one of my specialties…and also the only thing I can make that doesn't get burnt in the process," he answered as Genevieve and Jesse walked away, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"Then you can be in charge of popcorn," Rachel said with a smile.

As he followed Rachel and Hiram into the kitchen, Joel realized that he now fully understood why Genevieve enjoyed being around these people so much. Not only did she get to spend more time with her brother, but Rachel and her parents were genuinely accepting, friendly people. He was beginning to enjoy being around them just as much as his fiancée did. He loved his own family, but this one was something entirely different. There were so many dynamics going on that he easily figured out why Genevieve had said that she was never bored or lonely when they were around.

* * *

Once he'd led his sister into his room, Jesse shut the door and turned to her.

"Okay, spill," he said.

"I know the first time I asked you to walk me down the aisle, we weren't on very good terms, but I was hoping you'd still consider doing that. Also, if it's not too much to ask, I'd really like for you, and possibly Rachel as well if she wants to, to sing a song or two during the ceremony," Genevieve answered, most of her words spilling out in fast succession.

"It's your wedding, Gen, whatever you want, you should be able to have," Jesse answered, a bit unsure how to answer his sister's question.

"I know it's traditionally the father that walks his daughter down the aisle, but you and I both know mom and dad won't be at the wedding. Not that I'd really want dad to walk me down the aisle anyway…"

"Gen, stop," Jesse said, taking a seat next to his sister on his bed. "If you want me to walk you down the aisle, I will. I'll have to talk to Rachel about the singing during the ceremony thing, but I doubt she won't agree to do it. She likes you. I'm pretty sure she already thinks of you as her sister, too."

"Really?" Genevieve asked; the surprise evident in her voice.

"Yes, really," Jesse said with a laugh. "She and Joel seemed to hit it off right away, too. I think I heard her ask him something about popcorn as we were walking away."

This time it was Genevieve's turn to laugh.

"Joel claims it's his specialty. Really it's the only thing he can make that he doesn't burn."

"I still remember mother getting so mad when she found out you'd been asking the cook how to make the different dishes she served. The look on her face when you told her that you didn't want to end up like  _her_  was priceless."

"Oh my God, I thought she was going to kill me then and there. She looked so  _mad_. She was furious. She actually grounded me over that, too."

"Have they talked to you since you and Shelby made amends?" Jesse wondered.

"A couple of times. Dad was mad because he found out that Leroy had made a few calls to check and make sure that the money that was set aside for you couldn't be touched by anyone but  _you_ , or whoever you legally declared could touch it. He's never even met the man and he was already cursing him."

Jesse rolled his eyes before he spoke again.

"Sounds like father. I didn't know Leroy did that, though."

"I asked him to, since I figured he'd know better than I would about who to contact. I gave him all the information he asked for and he kind of took it from there. I asked him not to mention anything to you because I wanted to tell you myself. He told me he understood," Genevieve explained.

"He would understand," Jesse agreed. "At the end of the day, he's a father too. A much better one than we ever had."

"Well, we won't be repeating our parents' mistakes. We're different than our parents. They might try to ridicule us for it, but we'll have better, more rewarding lives because of it. We both have already found our soul mates, and if children are in the future, we'll both be raising them ourselves, instead of letting nannies do it."

Jesse smirked at his sister.

"I wonder how much our parents would freak out if Rachel and I had a daughter that looked as much like Rachel as she does Shelby."

"Probably a lot. It would be one cute kid, though," Genevieve told him with a laugh.

"Of course," Jesse agreed as he and Genevieve began to walk back downstairs. "All the St. James' are good-looking, especially the curly-haired ones."

Genevieve laughed as she hugged her brother, clearly surprising him since it took him a couple of moments to hug her back.

"I missed you, Jesse. I know it probably didn't seem like it, but I did," she said as she stepped back.

Jesse flashed his sister a smile.

"I know. I missed you, too. We really should find the rest of our family before they send out a search party."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Genevieve said with a laugh as she and Jesse approached the music room, where they could hear both Shelby and Rachel singing.

* * *

As they talked about where they wanted to go for lunch the next day, Shelby and Rachel subconsciously walked into the music room.

"Well, since we're already here, would you like to sing something?" Shelby asked her daughter.

"Sure," Rachel agreed with a smile. "You choose."

After she'd selected a song, Shelby set it on the piano and began to play, singing the first part herself.

**Impossible, for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage,  
** ****  
Impossible, for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage,

A slipper made of glass is just a shoe, And dreamers never make the dream come true,

Impossible. Impossible, for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage,

Impossible, for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage,

And four white mice will never be four white horses.

Such fallerall and fiddledeedee of course is.

Impossible.

But the world is full of zanies and fools,

Who dont believe in sensible rules,

And wont believe what sensible people say,

And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes keep building up impossible hopes,

**  
Impossible, things are happening everyday.**

Impossible,

Impossible,

Impossible,

Impossible,

Impossible,

Impossible,

Impossible!

Recognizing her cue, Rachel alternated the next few lines with her mother before they sang the last one together.

_Impossible_

**Impossible**

_Impossible_

**Impossible**

_Impossible_

**Impossible**

_**Impossible!** _

As they were singing their duet, neither Rachel nor Shelby noticed the other members of their family make their way into the room.

_It's possible, for a plain yellow pumpkin and a prince to join in_ _marriage_

_Quite possible, for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage_

**And four white mice are easily turned to horses**

**Such falder-all-and-fiddle-dee-dee of course is.**

_Quite possible!_

_For the world is full of zanies and fools_

**Who don't believe in sensible rules**

_And don't believe what sensible people say_

_And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes_

_Keep building up impossible hopes,_

_**Impossible things are happening every day.** _

_It's possible_

**It's possible**

_It's possible_

**It's possible**

_It's possible_

**It's possible**

_**It's possible!** _

"You two sound wonderful together," Genevieve said with a smile as the Shelby and Rachel ended their duet.

"They really do," Hiram agreed.

* * *

After talking amongst themselves for a few more minutes, everyone began to make their way downstairs. Rachel was about to grab Jesse's hand when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning her head, she saw that Genevieve looked like she wanted to talk.

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked her.

"I have a favor to ask of you. It'll only take a minute," Genevieve answered.

"I'll meet you downstairs," Jesse said, pressing a kiss to Rachel's cheek before making his way to the basement with the rest of the group.

"You don't need to be nervous about asking me for a favor," Rachel assured the older girl.

Genevieve smiled a little and shrugged.

"Jesse pretty much said the same thing, but it's just how I get. We could never ask for favors growing up, so I've had to get used to people actually being willing to listen to me when I ask something of them."

Rachel nodded in understanding, urging Genevieve to continue talking.

"As I'm sure you're aware, when I first came back, I asked Jesse to walk me down the aisle," she started.

Rachel nodded again.

"Yes, and Jesse's answer at the time was a big, fat 'no'."

"Exactly," Genevieve agreed. "I asked him again a little bit ago."

"I'm sure he said yes. He really does love you and is enjoying having you back in his life," Rachel told her with a smile.

Genevieve returned the younger girl's smile.

"It's the same for me. I missed him and while I regret not contacting him sooner, there's nothing I can do about that now. I won't make that mistake again, though, that's for sure. Anyway, I also asked him if he would consider singing a song or two during the ceremony."

"I'm sure he agreed again."

"He did," Genevieve confirmed, "but there was a second part to that-I was hoping  _both_  of you would be willing to do that for me."

"You want me to sing at your wedding?" Rachel asked, not sure she was hearing the older girl correctly.

"Yes. You  _and_  Jesse. Joel and I decided on friends-only for the bridesmaids and groomsmen, but we want to incorporate our family as well. I know how much you and Jesse love to sing, and having you both sing at the wedding would make it that much more special."

"Are you going to ask Blaine to sing as well?"

"I plan on it. The friends you invited over for Jesse's birthday have wonderful voices as well, but I'm not sure they'd want to sing at the wedding of someone they really don't know."

"I'm not sure when we all plan on getting together again, but Jesse and I see them all at school and in rehearsal."

"Well, maybe the next time you have all of them over, I can ask them myself," Genevieve said as she and Rachel began to make their way into the hallway that would lead them to the basement.

* * *

When they arrived in the basement, Rachel and Genevieve saw that everything had indeed been set up and was ready to go. The movie had even been paused on the first scene. Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy sat near each other on the couch, leaving the love seats for the two younger couples.

"What are we watching first?" Genevieve wondered, not very familiar with musicals and therefore not recognizing the one that was about to start.

"Funny Girl," Rachel, Jesse, Hiram, Leroy, and Shelby chorused together.

Joel chuckled at his fiancée's surprised look.

"Well, there's your answer."

"I guess so," Genevieve said with a laugh of her own.

"It's Rachel's, and Shelby's, favorite musical," Jesse explained.

Genevieve nodded, settling her head on Joel's shoulder, alternately watching the musical now currently playing on the screen, and the way Jesse and Rachel interacted with each other. As she watched Jesse move his arm so Rachel could cuddle up to him, she had to smile-they really were very cute together.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee :(

* * *

As the ending credits of  _Funny Girl_  played across the large screen, Leroy glanced over to where Jesse and Rachel were sitting, curious as to why they hadn't said anything yet. They were usually the first to start talking about the movie directly after it, already having decided what parts they did or did not like and ready to discuss it together, so the fact that they hadn't done so seemed strange to him. When he noticed they were both fast asleep on the couch, Rachel lying in front of Jesse with his arm securely around her waist, he knew he'd found his answer.

"Do you think we should wake them?" Leroy asked his husband.

"They look rather comfortable, but they probably both prefer to sleep in an actual bed," Hiram answered.

Leroy nodded before he walked over to the sleeping couple and gently shook Jesse's shoulder.

"Jesse, son, wake up," he said quietly.

At the unfamiliar 'son', Jesse's eyes flew open. He was even more surprised to find that the words had come from Leroy. While Rachel had told him that she was sure her dads already thought of him as a son, he hadn't let himself believe her.

"Can you move without waking Rachel?" Leroy queried.

"Probably not," Jesse answered regretfully.

"Jess?" Rachel asked sleepily, awakened by the sound of both her dad's and Jesse's voices.

"The movie is over, honey," Leroy gently explained.

"Tired," was Rachel's response, making Jesse grin and Leroy chuckle.

"Rach, if you can stand for just a minute, I'll carry you upstairs," Jesse promised.

When Rachel silently did as her boyfriend had requested, Jesse stood up himself. He wasn't surprised to find that his sister had made her way to his side and proceeded to hug him tightly.

"How about lunch tomorrow?" Jesse asked his sister as he returned her hug.

"You and Rachel don't have plans?" Genevieve wondered.

Jesse glanced over at his girlfriend, who was currently leaning against her father with her eyes closed, before turning back to his sister.

"Rachel and Shelby are having a mother-daughter day…and I made plans with Blaine for the afternoon, but I'm free for lunch."

Genevieve followed her brother's gaze, smiling a little when she saw Leroy lift Rachel into his arms and Rachel lay her head down on his shoulder.

"Lunch sounds wonderful," she said, getting her brother's attention once more. "I can see you doing that someday."

"Doing what?" Jesse wondered.

"Carrying your sleeping child upstairs to bed so they don't have to wake up in order to do it themselves."

Jesse shrugged, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he did so.

"Maybe. I'm actually kind of afraid that I'll turn out like dad sometimes, though."

"You won't," Genevieve said firmly. "Neither of us will. Our significant others won't let us be like our parents."

This time Jesse did smile.

"That's very true."

"Jess?" Rachel asked a few minutes later as she felt the bed dip.

"Yeah. I was just saying goodnight to Gen," Jesse answered as Rachel settled in his arms.

"I like her."

"She likes you, too. I think she liked  _Funny Girl_."

"Good. Sleep now."

Jesse chuckled as he pressed a kiss to Rachel's forehead.

"I love you, Rach."

"Love you, too, Jess," Rachel responded sleepily, curling further into Jesse's embrace.

Settling his head near Rachel's and feeling her breathing begin to even out again, Jesse closed his eyes, eager to join his love in whatever dreamland adventure she was sure to take them on.

* * *

After breakfast the next morning, Jesse opted to help Hiram with the cleanup while Leroy went upstairs to study and Rachel pulled Shelby into the music room.

"You seemed surprised that Leroy called you 'son' last night," Hiram observed.

"I was," Jesse answered, wanting to tell the truth but unsure of what else to really say.

"Leroy and I both think of you that way. We've had an opportunity to get to know you better as well as spend more time with our daughter. The fact that you let us live here means a lot to both of us."

"It's Shelby's house, not mine," Jesse said, clearly confused.

"But she asked your opinion, did she not?"

Jesse nodded, still unsure where exactly Hiram was going with this.

"You agreed. You could have said no, and then Shelby would have told us no."

"I don't think my opinion carries that much weight."

"You and Genevieve were still kind of tentative with each other at that point, and Shelby wouldn't have kicked you out, so in a way, your opinion  _did_  have that much weight."

"Rachel wanted you both here. She missed you so much when you left. Besides, when you were here before, neither of you ever made me feel unwelcome or uncomfortable, so I saw no reason not to agree to it. I also wasn't going to stand in the way of parents who truly wanted to be there for their child, to witness the little everyday moments. Rachel's happier than ever since she now has all three of her parents here with her."

"A lot of that happiness has to do with you too, you know. If it weren't for you, I'm not sure she would have seriously considered Carmel. Her officially moving in with Shelby let you two get to know each other better, which led to you two falling in love. You make my little girl happy, Jesse. I can't even begin to tell you what that means to me. What that means to Leroy, and to Shelby."

"I can see it every time I watch Rachel with any of you. She's been really excited to spend some mother-daughter time with Shelby."

Hiram smiled at the younger man.

"Yes, she has been. Shelby's been looking forward to it as well. Leroy said you made plans with your sister for lunch?"

"Yeah. She and I haven't really had much of a chance to really catch-up or spend some time just the two of us, so I'm looking forward to it."

"I know what you mean. Isabel and I went to lunch the day of the Invitational and even though I talk to her all the time, there was still so much we hadn't told each other…and it was nice to spend some quality time with her."

Jesse smiled to himself as he continued the easy conversation with Hiram. Listening to the sounds of Shelby and Rachel singing float into the room, they both found they had much more in common than they originally thought.

* * *

"So what's Jesse up to today?" Shelby asked as she and Rachel walked into Cravings.

"Lunch with his sister, and then he has some kind of plans with Blaine later."

"He and your daddy seemed pretty chummy this morning."

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"They did. Daddy warmed to Jesse first, though, so it doesn't surprise me that much. Dad called him 'son' last night, too."

Shelby returned her daughter's smile as they took their seats.

"I heard. Your dads like Jesse; they think of him as their son already, as do I, you know that, right?"

"I know, and I think Jesse's beginning to as well."

"Good. So, my darling daughter, what else would you like to do today?"

"Dad did give me some money so I could buy some new clothes," Rachel revealed.

"Shopping it is, then," Shelby said with a laugh.

Before either of them could say anything, Rachel heard her phone's text message tone sound. When Shelby saw the smile on her daughter's face, she knew the text could only have come from one person.

"What did Jesse say?" she asked.

"How do you know it was Jesse who texted me?" Rachel wondered.

"I could tell by your smile."

"It was Jesse. He said that he hopes that I have a fun day with you and that he loves me."

"If you want to text him back, I don't mind," Shelby said as she studied her menu.

Rachel nodded, quickly sending a message back to her boyfriend and slipping her phone back into her purse before turning her attention back to her mother.

* * *

As he let himself into his sister's house, Jesse heard the sound of a piano being played. Walking into the living room, he felt a bit of déjà vu as he saw that Genevieve was, once again, playing the piano.

"Hi," Genevieve said with a smile as she stopped playing and stood up to hug her brother.

"Hi," Jesse responded as he returned the hug.

"Joel's gone for the day so I was thinking I could make something and we could have lunch here."

"Sure."

"I made baked ziti, but if you don't want that, I can make something else."

"Considering you've been getting cooking tips from Hiram, I'm sure it will be fine," Jesse joked, earning a playful shove from his sister.

"Be nice!" she mock-scolded as they walked into the kitchen.

Jesse laughed as he took a seat at the table.

"I have six years of little brother antics to make up for, though."

Genevieve shook her head as she divided up the pasta.

"That's not necessary, I assure you."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"So, where's Joel today?" Jesse wondered as Genevieve put the plate of pasta in front of him.

"I'm not sure, actually. He was very vague about it, which makes me think he's up to something. Add that to the fact that I know he and Hiram have been talking about restaurant designs, I have a feeling Hiram may actually be seriously considering opening one."

"Puck would probably be his first, and most frequent, customer."

Genevieve laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"Probably. I know Joel and I would be frequent patrons as well. Speaking of significant others, where's yours today?"

"Mother-daughter day with Shelby, remember?. She's been talking about wanting to get some new clothes, and I'm pretty sure I saw Leroy hand her some money earlier, so I'm sure she'll come home with plenty of new clothes. Mostly, though, she's been looking forward to being able to spend some alone time with her mom."

"Is she as much like Shelby in personality as she is in looks?" Genevieve wondered.

Jesse thought for a moment before he answered.

"Sort of. I think she's sort of a mixture of all three of them, to be honest. I can see bits and pieces of them all in her."

"Well you two are both welcome here any time. I mean that. I meant what I said about wanting to get to know you again, and I want to get to know Rachel as well."

"Maybe you could cook dinner for everyone sometime; have everyone over here."

"Maybe," Genevieve agreed.

"What did you do with all of our parents' old furniture?" Jesse wondered, changing the subject.

"I put it all in a storage unit, billed to them."

"I'm sure they were thrilled about that," Jesse said with a laugh.

"I honestly don't care anymore. It's my house, so I'm going to decorate it however I want. That includes using my own furniture. I kept the pieces I wanted and put the rest in storage."

As he and his sister continued their conversation, Jesse found himself wondering why he'd been nervous about the lunch just a short while ago. Although things had never been awkward with them, at least not since their talk a few weeks ago, he still wasn't sure what all he had in common with his sister anymore. Just as has happened during his earlier conversation with Hiram, he was beginning to find that he and Genevieve had a lot more in common than he realized.

* * *

By the time afternoon rolled around, Blaine was glad to have an excuse to leave the house for a while. His brother was home for a long weekend and they were already driving each other crazy. When Jesse had suggested getting together to hang out for a while, he'd jumped at the chance to get out of the house and to spend time with his best friend.

"Cooper driving you crazy?" Jesse guessed as he saw the look on his cousin/best friend's face.

"You have no idea," Blaine answered as he followed Jesse into the house.

Jesse did his best not to laugh at his cousin.

"Gen is in the living room talking with Leroy if you want to say hi."

"Talking to Leroy about what?" Blaine wondered.

"Honestly? I have no idea; she and I were still talking when I knew it was close to the time we agreed to meet, so she followed me here. Once we finished our conversation, Leroy invited her to stay. They've been in the living room ever since."

"Where's the rest of your newfound family?" Blaine wondered as he followed Jesse down the hall to the music room.

"Shelby and Rachel are having a mother-daughter day, and Hiram and Joel are out looking at potential properties for Hiram's potential restaurant. At least that's what Gen thinks."

"So Hiram's seriously considering opening a restaurant?"

"Sounds like it. I think he wants it to be a surprise for Rachel, though."

"I won't say anything to anyone, I promise. You said you found a few potential pieces for the holiday concert, can I see them?"

Jesse nodded, handing his cousin the pieces of music he'd selected.

"They all could work," Blaine said with a sigh.

"My thoughts exactly. I asked Rachel what she thought and she said the same thing you did. I guess maybe we could start working on them and see if we start to like one better than the others or one comes together easier than the others?"

Blaine shrugged.

"It's not like we don't have time. It's only September and the concert isn't until December."

"You know how Shelby is with preparing for things, though. She wants to start putting the concert together now…and we've been rehearsing our Sectionals numbers since July."

"That's true. Speaking of preparing, Kurt said he saw a couple people from McKinley at the Invitational, including a teacher. He thinks they fired the old show choir coach and replaced him with this guy."

"From McKinley?" Jesse asked, confused.

"Yeah. He also said the guy looked rather terrified when he left, like he regretted something."

"That's…odd, I guess. It's not like we've never had other schools come to our Invitational before, but we usually knew about them. I'll have to ask Rachel when she gets home if she knows anything about a new show choir at McKinley. I think she still talks to a couple of people that go there."

"Kurt said he was going to ask someone named…I can't remember the name, but it was the same as a type of car."

"Bentley?" Jesse suggested.

Blaine laughed as he shook his head.

"No, it wasn't that. It was a girl."

"Morgan?" Jesse tried again.

"No, but I think it started with an M, though…Mercedes, that's it!"

"Rachel's mentioned a Mercedes before….apparently she was in show choir with her and she always got mad when Rachel would get a solo, which was rare in and of itself."

"Kurt said she always thought she just deserved success and never really wanted to work at it…could be the same girl."

"I'll mention it to Shelby, maybe she can find out more."

"Well, if they really are a show choir, they'd have to have an invitational of their own, right?"

Jesse nodded in agreement.

"You'd think, but it's not required. At least, as far as I know it's not. That could have changed, though."

"Well, let's work on this music, and then when Shelby and Rachel get back maybe one or both of them could enlighten us further," Blaine suggested.

"Sure. Which one do you want to start with?"

* * *

"Isn't that Holly and Aunt Sara?" Rachel wondered as she and Shelby walked into one of the clothing stores at the mall.

"Looks like them," Shelby said, moving closer to the two people in question.

"Aunt Sara?" Rachel asked as she got close enough to not have to shout.

"Rachel, Shelby," Sara said with a smile, bending to hug her niece before turning to hug her sister.

"It's Sunday afternoon; shouldn't you be on your way back to Lima?" Holly asked her cousin.

Rachel smiled and shook her head.

"I live with my mom now. My dads and my boyfriend live there with us, but still."

"Since when?"

"End of summer for me, about a week after that for Jesse, and a few weeks ago for my dads."

"Your parents like your boyfriend?" Holly wondered.

"Yes. My dad took some time to warm up to him, but now they all get along great."

"Must be nice."

"Aunt Sara doesn't like your boyfriend?"

"She doesn't like any of the boys I've gone out with so far."

"My mom knew Jesse before he became my friend, let alone my boyfriend, so I think that helps."

"You don't get bullied at Carmel, do you?" Holly wondered.

Rachel smiled and shook her head.

"Not a slushie in sight. It probably helps that I'm Vocal Adrenaline's new female lead and that the male lead is also my boyfriend."

Holly returned her cousin's smile.

"So you're the one who stole Jesse St. James away from the rest of the female population."

"How do you know Jesse?"

"I've never met him, but I did go to Carmel for a year, so I know who he is. I could see him being perfect for you. You're my cousin and I love you, but you're kind of high maintenance."

Rachel laughed as she nodded in acknolwedgement of Holly's statement.

"I  _am_  high maintenance, I admit it, but that doesn't seem to bother Jesse."

"Well good. You never deserved any of the stuff those bullies at McKinley did to you. I know your friend put a stop to most of it, but it still happened more often than it should have."

"I'm really happy at Carmel. I have Jesse, and some of my friends from Lima moved to Akron as well, plus I get to take more fine arts related classes that McKinley didn't even offer."

"You still want to be on Broadway?"

"Yes. I fully plan on being a Broadway star in the future. That's one of my goals, anyway."

"My current goal is to get my mother to like a boy I decide to go out with."

"Maybe you should let me pick the next one," Rachel joked.

Holly laughed as she shook her head.

"Thanks, but no, thanks."

As the two cousins continued their conversation, Sara had one of her own with her sister.

"I have information on Jack," Sara said.

"I said I don't want to know," Shelby insisted. "I hadn't thought about him all day, until now. This is my day with my daughter. I don't want it to be spoiled by thinking about my past mistakes. Having Rachel is one of the few things I  _don't_  regret doing."

"I understand…I just thought you'd want to know that Jack and that girl didn't last. They aren't married anymore."

"I don't care, I really don't. I wish you'd just leave it alone."

"I'm just trying to help you."

"I don't need your help. I understand you want to help, but the less I know about Jack, the easier it will be for me to pretend like I don't know him."

Sara sighed, but said nothing more about it.

"If you do want more information, just ask. Okay?"

Shelby nodded in agreement before she opted to change the subject.

"I thought you and Holly weren't speaking?"

Sara smiled a little before she explained.

"I offered shopping as a sort of peace agreement. She and I don't talk the way you and Rachel do, and I don't think we ever will, but I don't want to hurt the relationship we do have by making her angry with me. I know she won't always agree with my decisions, but I hope she can respect them…or at least understand where I'm coming from."

"I think she does, she just doesn't want to admit it."

"That's probably true," Sara agreed with a laugh.

"It looks like both of our daughters have started shopping without us," Shelby observed, watching as Rachel and Holly looked at clothes on some nearby racks.

"I think that's our cue to join them, then."

* * *

Later that night, once she'd returned home from her day with her mother, Rachel was eager to find her boyfriend. She was only slightly surprised to find him waiting for her in her room.

"Miss me?" she teased when she saw that he was lounging on her bed.

Jesse grinned at her.

"I did. I had a good time with Gen and Blaine, though."

"Good. Where did you and your sister go for lunch?" Rachel asked as she put away her new purchases.

"Her kitchen. It was actually kind of nice. She showed me all of the changes she'd made since the last time I was over. I'm usually not into the decorative stuff, but it was nice to see it look more like a home than a picture in a magazine. She might invite everyone over for dinner at her house sometime soon."

"That would be nice…though I'm sure Daddy would still want to help somehow."

"Most likely. I think he was saying something about making dinner soon, too."

Before either teen could say anything else, they heard a knock on the door and then saw Leroy poke his head in.

"Dinner is ready."

"We'll be right down," Rachel assured her father.

Leroy nodded before he made his way back downstairs, leaving Jesse and Rachel alone once more. As Leroy left, Jesse stood and pulled Rachel into his arms, hugging her tightly before leaning down to brush his lips with hers.

"I love you," he told her softly.

Rachel smiled up at him.

"I love you, too. Walk me to dinner?"

Jesse chuckled as he took Rachel's hand in his.

"Only if you agree to watch a musical of my choice afterwards."

"Okay," Rachel agreed as she and Jesse made their way downstairs.

* * *

As they approached the kitchen, both teens could already hear Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy talking and laughing. Though they were eager to spend time alone together, they both also looked forward to spending time with people they cared about and who cared about them in return. Besides, dinner with the Berry-Corcoran-St. James family was  _never_  boring.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, the  _Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen_ scene never would have been cut :) (I am happy it was finally released though. Happy, playful St. Berry plus a St. Berry kiss and Jesse mentioning Rachel should join VA! :) )

* * *

Shortly after finishing her routine the next morning, Rachel heard her phone's text message tone. Curious as to who would be texting her this early, she quickly grabbed her phone off of the bedside table.

_I'm in hell. Help._

Rachel giggled as she read her cousin's text. Holly had definitely inherited the Corcoran flair for the dramatic, just as Rachel herself had.

_How can I help?_

"What's so funny?" Jesse wondered as he walked into his girlfriend's room just as she sent the reply to Holly.

"My cousin, Holly, just said she was in hell and she wants my help," Rachel explained.

Before Jesse could say anything else, he was interrupted by Rachel's phone once again indicating she had a message.

_Mom found out I flunked my test because I was out with a boy. She's making me transfer to Carmel so Aunt Shelby can "keep an eye on me"._

Rachel giggled again as she read her cousin's latest message before she turned to her boyfriend.

"Holly is transferring back to Carmel…involuntarily."

"Back to Carmel?" Jesse asked as he followed Rachel out of the room.

Rachel nodded as she elaborated.

"She knows who you are, she was at Carmel her freshman year. She's a year older than me, in the same grade as Noah and Blaine. She transferred to Kennedy her sophomore year, but according to my Aunt Sara, she's had…disciplinary problems and she hasn't liked any of the boys Holly has been bringing home. According to Holly, Aunt Sara is sending her back to Carmel so my Mom can keep an eye on her."

Jesse thought about the name for a few minutes, but he couldn't put a face with the name.

"Will she be joining Vocal Adrenaline?" he wondered.

Rachel shook her head.

"Probably not. She's never really been into singing and performing the way you and I are. She used to enjoy dancing, but I honestly don't know what she enjoys anymore."

"Do you not want Holly at Carmel?" Jesse asked as he and Rachel walked into the kitchen.

"It's not that," Rachel tried to explain. "I love Holly, she's my family, but she and I aren't close the way you and Blaine are…we haven't really spent a lot of time together since we were little. I just don't know if she has any desire to…have it be known that she and I are related."

"Does Holly look as much like your Aunt Sara as you do Shelby?"

"Sort of. Not as much, but the resemblance is there," Rachel answered with a shrug.

"Well, she seems to want to get to know you. If she didn't want you to know she was transferring, I don't think she would have texted you."

"That's true. I guess I'll just see how things go. I wonder if my Mom found anything out about the show choir from McKinley yet."

* * *

"Sara, I understand you're worried about Holly, but don't you think you're being a bit drastic?" Shelby asked as she tried to talk her sister out of making Holly transfer.

"No, I don't. Do you know what Mom and Dad would have done to us if we'd acted the way she is?"

Shelby bit back a laugh and simply sighed instead.

"Sara, I think you're forgetting that before you met Nick, you brought home a number of boys a lot like the one you just described to me."

This time it was Sara's turn to sigh.

"I'm at my wit's end with her. She won't talk to me, she won't talk to Nick. She's failing tests. She's a smart kid; she just needs to learn to apply herself better."

"I'm not going to be your spy. I'll be there for Holly if she wants me to be, if she needs anything, but I won't make her join Vocal Adrenaline and I won't make sure I know what she's doing every minute she's at school. She's seventeen years old, Sara. She's just trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with her life. You need to let her be a teenager."

"I'm worried about her."

Shelby ran a hand through her hair.

"I understand that. I worry about Rachel, a little less now that she's at Carmel with me, but I still worry. Hiram and Leroy worry about her, too. I even worry about Jesse and he's not even my own kid."

This time it was Sara's turn to laugh.

"He might as well be. I know you've thought of him as such for years now, plus according to Holly, he and Rachel are already pretty serious."

"You're right on both accounts, but I still think you're being too drastic."

"Nick and I have been considering this for a while. You know as well as I do that Carmel has more of a productive environment than Kennedy does. I just think that's what Holly needs. If it's not that, I honestly don't know what else to do."

Shelby sighed again.

"It's not my decision to make, but I still think you should have discussed this with Holly before you just sprung this on her. I need to go before I'm late, though. If Holly needs anything, tell her she's free to stop by my office."

"I will. Thanks, Shelby."

Shelby shook her head as she hung up with her sister before she took a deep breath and prepared herself to deal with the distinct possibility of a very angry young woman.

* * *

When Rachel walked into school, she immediately spotted her cousin.

"If you want to go say hi to Holly, I can go stop by my locker now," Jesse volunteered.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked, looking up at her boyfriend.

Jesse kissed her quickly before he nodded.

"It's fine, Rach. I understand. I see Blaine and Kurt so I'm sure Puck and Santana won't be far away."

"I'll meet you all in just a few minutes," Rachel promised, hugging Jesse before walking over to her cousin.

* * *

"Hey, stranger," Holly greeted as she noticed her cousin walk up beside her.

"Hi," Rachel responded, a little unsure what to say. "I don't know if you have friends here or not, and I know we aren't that close, but…"

Holly smiled a little as she listened to her cousin trail off.

"Thanks, Rachel. I know some people here, but not a whole lot. It wasn't like I was expecting this. My mom dropped the bomb this morning."

"I doubt you'd be an outcast for long anyway."

"You don't seem to be doing too bad yourself, cousin. If Carmel is anything like I remember it being, the fact that you are the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline is a big deal. Add that to the fact that your boyfriend is the male lead and you're pretty much set."

"I'm not with Jesse just because he's the male lead," Rachel began to protest.

Holly laughed and shook her head.

"Oh, I know. You aren't the type to do something like that, plus it's written all over your face how in love with him you are."

"I told Jesse I wouldn't be long, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm glad you're here and I hope we can spend more time together now."

"Mind if I tag along and meet the rest of your friends?" Holly asked.

Rachel beamed at her cousin, quickly linking arms with her as she led them both over the group currently standing near the lockers.

* * *

"Jess," Rachel said as she walked up beside her boyfriend.

Jesse slid his arm around Rachel's waist and smiled at the dark-haired girl at her side.

"You must be Holly."

"I am," Holly confirmed with a nod, "and you're Jesse. I remember you, plus I've heard a lot about you."

"Rach said you're back at Carmel involuntarily."

Holly nodded again.

"Correct again. I didn't really like Kennedy anyway; it was just closer so my parents thought it would be a better fit for me. My mother hasn't been pleased, to say the least, with my grades or the boys I've brought home over the last few weeks, so here I am…under Aunt Shelby's watchful eye."

"Are you going to be joining Vocal Adrenaline?" Blaine wondered.

"I'm not sure. I need to get my grades up before I think about any extra-curricular activities. I'm not much of a singer anyway."

"You used to dance, though. Not everyone on the team wants a solo, some just prefer to sing in the background and dance," Rachel informed her cousin.

"I'll think about it. Like I said, I need to get my grades up first. As far as the immediate future goes though, my mom said Aunt Shelby has my schedule, but so much has changed here since I was here last that I honestly have no idea where her office is."

Rachel looked up at her boyfriend.

"Could you show her? I have a test first period and I'd like to have the entire class period to take it in."

Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of Rachel's head.

"Sure. I'll walk you to class a little early, since it's on the way to your mom's office anyway, and then show Holly to Shelby's office."

"Don't you have a test first period too, Jesse?" Blaine asked.

"Just a quiz, not a big deal," Jesse answered.

"My first period teacher is out for the week, so it's basically just a study hall with assignments for the class. I don't think the sub will care if I'm late, plus I'm sure Shelby would write me a note."

"I'm sorry...who are you?" Holly wondered.

"Blaine. I'm Jesse's best friend…and I'm also his cousin."

"Nice to meet you," Holly said with a smile.

"I'll introduce you to everyone else while we have time," Rachel added. "Next to Blaine is Kurt, my best friend and Blaine's boyfriend. This is Noah Puckerman, almost everyone calls him Puck…except I refuse to…and his girlfriend, Santana Lopez. Kurt, Noah, Santana, and I all went to school together in Lima as well."

"Nice to meet you all," Holly said with a genuine smile, already thinking that the transfer might not be so bad after all.

* * *

"I don't remember you from the last time I was here," Holly said, breaking the silence as she and Blaine walked to Shelby's office.

"That's because I just transferred this year. Jesse had been trying to convince me to attend Carmel instead of Jefferson since he started here…and my last school wasn't exactly the most…tolerant place in the world, but like your old school, it was closer to my house. I thought I'd be okay, but honestly, I was miserable. Then Jesse presented me with an opportunity I couldn't pass up," Blaine answered.

"Vocal Adrenaline."

Blaine confirmed Holly's guess with a nod.

"I've always enjoyed performing, but Jefferson really didn't have much as far as a fine arts department goes. They had the normal band, choir, and orchestra, but no one was as passionate about it as I was. Jesse persuaded me to try out for Vocal Adrenaline…and once I got in, I transferred. It's only a few weeks into the school year, but I know I'm already happier here than I ever was at Jefferson. Rachel said you used to dance, is that right?"

Holly smiled and nodded.

"I was in just about any kind of dance class I could find for many years…and I really enjoyed it most of the time. Then I entered high school and I cut back on my dance classes to concentrate on school…then I started hanging out with people who basically thought it was stupid and I let their opinions get to me. I told my parents I wanted to quit because I didn't enjoy it anymore, though."

"I'm sure Shelby could get you into a class if you wanted," Blaine suggested.

"Maybe," Holly replied, and Blaine suspected she was actually seriously considering it. "Is it wrong of me to be a little jealous of my cousin?"

Blaine chuckled, surprising the girl at his side.

"Not to me, it's not. I totally understand. As weird as this probably sounds, I was jealous of Jesse for a while. He and I have been as close as brothers since we were little, but when he met Rachel and knew that he'd found  _the one_ , I have to admit I was jealous. I laughed at him at first because it freaked him out so much, but I wanted to find my soul mate, too."

"Well, that makes me feel a little better. Do you feel about Kurt the way Jesse feels about Rachel?"

Blaine nodded before he spoke again.

"I knew I liked Kurt immediately, but I wasn't sure if he would feel the same way or not. I caught Rachel not so subtly trying to get us together, and I think Jesse may have said something to her about it, but it was sort of the push that I needed. I asked Kurt out and the rest is history. We haven't been together that long, but I already can't picture my future without him."

"That's so cute," Holly said with a grin. "Is your entire group like that?"

"You mean Santana and Puck too?" Blaine wondered. At Holly's nod, Blaine continued. "You wouldn't know it from the way they act, but yes. Puck affectionately refers to her as Satan."

"I think I'll stick with you guys. Life sounds like it's never boring."

"It's not, trust me. Rachel hasn't mentioned you much, are you two not very close?"

Holly shook her head before she began to explain.

"We lived two and a half hours away growing up…there wasn't much opportunity for us to spend time together. She was also very dedicated to the arts and performing, so what time she did have left, she usually spent with either Aunt Shelby or her dads. I'd like to get to know her some more, though. I guess it's part of the reason I'm being cooperative about the whole transfer thing. I'm still pissed that my parents sprung this on me, though. I would have liked to at least been included in the conversation."

"That's understandable. I'm not sure what Rachel has told you, but you're more than welcome in our little group," Blaine said before he stopped in front of a set of double doors.

"Aunt Shelby's office is in here?" Holly asked as they approached a set of double doors.

Blaine nodded as he led Holly through the doors and down the hall.

"Yes. This is the music area-choir room, band and orchestra room, plus the offices of the music teachers. There's also a back entrance to the auditorium this way."

"I imagine I'll learn my way eventually, but I'm still confused," Holly said before she raised her hand to knock on her aunt's office door.

"Would you like me to wait for you?" Blaine offered.

"Would you?" Holly asked.

"Sure," Blaine answered with a smile just as Shelby opened the door.

* * *

Once they were all settled in her office, Shelby spoke first.

"I have no intention of spying on you for your mother, but I  _am_  here if you need anything. I told your mom the same thing this morning, so she's aware. I won't force you to join Vocal Adrenaline, either, but you're welcome to audition if you like."

"I'll think about it."

"Here's your schedule and all of your books, as well as your new school ID," Shelby started, handing the piece of paper to her niece.

"I have a dance class?" Holly asked, looking up at her aunt in confusion.

Shelby nodded before continuing.

"I know you think you don't miss it, but I know you do. If you'd rather not take it, I can try to get you into something else."

Holly shook her head.

"No. I want to do it. Thanks, Aunt Shelby."

Shelby smiled at her niece.

"You're welcome. I'll let you get to class, but like I said, I'm here if you need anything."

Holly hugged her aunt quickly before she put her books and new ID in her bag, then grabbed her schedule and followed Blaine out of the room.

"Looks like you and I have first period together," he noted, glancing at her schedule.

"Good. I won't have to start every day off lost," Holly said, making Blaine laugh.

"I really do hope you learn to like it here, Holly."

"Me, too," Holly said before she fell into step beside Blaine and continued to walk with him to their first class.

* * *

"Do you think Holly is doing okay?" Rachel asked Jesse as she changed out her books.

"She seemed fine when I saw her earlier," Jesse answered with a chuckle.

"When did you see her?"

"She's in my chemistry class. She has her first two classes with Blaine. They seemed to hit it off."

"That's good."

"She's a lot more like you than I think you realize, you know," Jesse commented as he and Rachel made their way towards his own locker.

"Really?"

"Shelby got her into a dance class; she seemed genuinely excited about it. She seems to enjoy the arts, too. I could see you two being as close as Blaine and I are," Jesse explained.

"Most cousins aren't best friends, too, Jess."

"I know, but I just got this feeling like she was looking for a place to belong. I got that feeling from you the first time we met, too."

"Is that why you wanted to spend more time with me? To help me belong?"

Jesse turned to his girlfriend and slid his arms around her waist.

"No. I wanted to spend more time with you because I wanted to get to know you better. You intrigued me from the very start, and I have no doubt you'll continue to do that for the rest of our lives."

Rachel smiled as she slid her arms around Jesse's neck.

"I do feel like I belong now, though. I belong with you, I belong here with all three of my parents, I belong with our crazy group of friends."

Jesse grinned at her.

"You most certainly do," he said before leaning down to kiss her.

* * *

Genevieve had just finished lunch when she heard the doorbell ring. Curious as to who it could be, since everyone she knew was currently either working or at school, she quickly made her way to the door. To say that she was surprised to see the person on the other side of the door was an understatement.

"Grandma St. James," She said, suddenly at a loss for words.

"Are you going to make an old lady stand out here in this weather all day or are you going to let me in like a proper young lady?"

Still unable to form a sentence, Genevieve opened the door wider so that her grandmother could enter the house, watching as the older woman surveyed the entryway. Jacqueline St. James was known for having strong opinions, which Genevieve had witnessed many times over the years.

"Grandmother?" Genevieve queried, unsure how to ask her question without seeming rude.

"Your father called-said you and your brother were acting, in his words, like ungrateful brats. Rather than simply take his word for it, I thought I would stop by and see for myself. It also gives me an opportunity to see my daughter and my other grandchildren," Jacqueline explained as she walked over to a series of pictures just inside the living room.

Genevieve followed her grandmother, still slightly in shock.

"Jesse and Blaine are in school, and I think Aunt Janelle and Uncle Kevin are both at work as well."

"I know. I wanted to talk to you."

"Talk to me about what?"

Jacqueline sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to her, indicating that's where she wanted Genevieve to sit. Still slightly apprehensive, Genevieve took the seat next to her grandmother.

"So tell me your side of the story, why are you not speaking to your father?"

Genevieve sighed before she began to speak.

"He and Mom were trying to sell the house without telling Jesse. I bought the house so that Jesse wouldn't have to leave Akron his senior year of high school, or move across town to live with Aunt Janelle and Uncle Kevin. He and I weren't speaking at the time, but we've worked things out now. He's moved in with Shelby, Rachel, and her dads, but he visits a lot. I live here with my fiancé, Joel, now. Basically, Dad has a problem with the partners that Jesse and I have chosen, and he doesn't like Shelby, either, so it just angers him even more that she's a large part of not only Jesse's life, but mine as well."

"I'd like to meet these people for myself. Unlike my son, I don't like to make judgments about people before I meet them."

"How long are you here for?" Genevieve asked.

"A couple of weeks. Martin also mentioned this thing called show choir and how he doesn't approve of Jesse being in it."

"Jesse wants to be on Broadway, which Dad isn't at all happy about. He's the male lead of the show choir at Carmel, Vocal Adrenaline. He has been since he was a freshman."

"Have you seen him perform?"

"Yes. He loves to perform, Grandma. He wants to go to a performing arts college."

"Which wouldn't make Martin happy at all," Jacqueline agreed.

"He threatened to take Jesse's college money away. He got mad when I had Leroy check to make sure that he, at least, couldn't touch Jesse's trust funds."

"Who is this Leroy person?"

"One of Rachel's dads. He's a lawyer."

"Dads? Plural?" Jacqueline asked.

Genevieve nodded before continuing her story.

"Her dads are married. Her biological parents are Hiram and Shelby."

"Does she love to perform as well?"

Genevieve nodded again.

"She does. She's the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline as well."

"She and Jesse are dating?" Jacqueline asked, trying to keep up with everything.

"Yes. They're pretty much inseparable. It's actually quite cute."

"So who was here for Jesse before you came back?"

"Shelby. She treats Jesse like he's her own kid. Hiram and Leroy do, too. They treat me the same way. It's not a bad thing, Grandma."

"I want to meet these people."

"Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I may be old, but I'm not senile," Jacqueline snapped.

"I didn't mean it that way and you know it," Genevieve responded.

Jacqueline laughed, surprising her granddaughter.

"Yes, I'm sure, dear. The reason I decided to make this trip was so I could see things for myself. I want to meet the people who are important to you and Jesse. Tell me, has my handsome Blaine found love as well?"


	24. Chapter 24

Unsure whether or not her grandmother was aware that Blaine was gay, Genevieve debated about the best way to answer the question she had just been asked. Deciding that, at the very least, her grandmother could appreciate being told the truth, she decided to do just that.

"Yes," she replied tentatively. "He's dating Rachel's best friend, actually. His name is Kurt."

Jacqueline was silent for a moment as she processed the information. She'd known for a while that her younger grandson wasn't very interested in girls as anything more than friends, and she'd had time to reflect on that information, eventually coming to the conclusion that as long as Blaine was happy, that's all that mattered.

"Does he treat Blaine well?" she wondered.

Genevieve smiled and nodded. "He does. They're really cute together, Grandma, and obviously as crazy about each other as Rachel and Jesse are. They're a bit more subtle about it, but they genuinely love and care about each other."

Jacqueline chuckled. "Jesse always was the more dramatic of the two, much to your father's disdain."

Genevieve's smile grew as she realized that her grandmother was a lot more accepting of everything than she'd originally thought.

* * *

"So, have you decided on a location for your restaurant yet?" Joel asked Hiram as they sat in the kitchen at Shelby's.

Hiram nodded. "I think I'm going to go with the one that's just a few blocks from here. It's close to the school and home, which means it's always going to be accessible for Rachel and her friends. I'm hoping your fiancée will help me design everything. I want to surprise Rachel."

"I'm sure Genevieve will be more than happy to help if you ask. Before you start thinking about interior design, let's focus on how big of a place you want and the placement of everything. Obviously the kitchen will be towards the back of the place, with seating area out front."

Hiram nodded in agreement. "I want this to be a place where the kids are going to enjoy hanging out. I want them to have a stage so that they can perform whenever they'd like."

"Like a Karaoke bar?" Joel asked incredulously.

Hiram laughed. "No. I was thinking more like the set-up in the basement, but on a bit of a bigger scale."

Joel thought about it for a moment before he drew something on the piece of paper in front of him and turned it to face Hiram. "What do you think about this?" he asked the older man.

Hiram smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's perfect."

Joel returned Hiram's smile as the two began to continue tossing ideas back and forth. He was sure that this would be the most enjoyable project he'd ever worked on. While Hiram had firm ideas, he was flexible in how to go about turning the ideas into reality, which Joel greatly appreciated. As he continued to bring Hiram's idea to life, he could already see how Genevieve would take the simple-looking drawing and finish bringing it to life.

* * *

Walking into her dance class, Holly panicked a little when she realized that this was the first class she'd had all day where she didn't already know someone.

"It's Holly, right?" a boy she didn't recognize asked her as he walked up beside her.

"Yes," Holly answered tentatively. "And you are?"

"My name is Dominic. I'm in Vocal Adrenaline with your cousin."

"She's never mentioned you before, how do I know you're not lying to me?" Holly asked, narrowing her eyes at the tall boy.

"She and I generally don't hang out. I've known Jesse since grade school, and I consider him a friend, but he and I aren't close the way he and Blaine are. Plus, I've never really had any intention of being a lead singer. I prefer to dance."

"I'm asking her about you later. Jesse, too," Holly informed him.

Dominic chuckled. "I'm sure you will. Madame Nicole will be pleased that there's now an even number of boys and girls in here, and considering I was the only one without a partner, I think you and I will be spending a lot more time together," he told her confidently as he began to walk away.

With a sigh, Holly followed the older boy further into the classroom, her shoes dangling from her hands.

"Shoes on, please, Miss…" Madame Nicole began, only to not recognize the girl she was scolding.

Holly handed the teacher her schedule and then said, "Holly Evans. And it's Dominic's fault."

Nicole looked over to Dominic, who just smiled and shrugged. Shaking her head, she turned back to the girl in front of her.

"Since it's your first day, and Mr. Edwards is being his usual mischievous self, I'll let it go. From now on, please remember to put your shoes on before you take your place at the bar."

"Yes, Madame," Holly said politely before quickly making her way back over to where Dominic stood.

"Didn't mean to get you in trouble, new girl," he said with that mischievous smile still in place.

"Like hell you didn't," Holly muttered with a glare in Dominic's direction before sitting so she could properly lace her shoes up.

* * *

"I want a different class," Holly said as her aunt let her into her office.

"Which class are you referring to?" Shelby asked patiently, already used to dramatic outbursts that were common in the Corcoran family.

"My ballet class. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I have it, but I want to take it at a different time."

"That's the only time that class is offered. You filled the last open spot."

"Well, then they can have it back."

"What happened?"

"I got in trouble, and it wasn't even my fault!" Holly practically shouted.

"Sit, explain," Shelby said, motioning to her chair.

With a sigh, Holly sat in her aunt's chair and explained what had happened at the beginning of class.

After patiently listening to her niece's account of the class, Shelby sighed. "Holly, I'm sorry to tell you this, but if you want to keep this class, you're going to have to find a way to deal with Dominic. It's not my place to talk to him about his behavior in a class that isn't my own. I have faith you can handle him."

"I'd like to strangle him," she muttered, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I understand that," Shelby assured her niece, "but you're not always going to get along with everybody. You have to learn to work with him. If you want to stay in the class, you have to deal with Dominic."

"Any tips?" Holly asked with a resigned sigh.

"Just get to know him. I promise things will get better."

"Maybe I'll go find Rachel, see if she can help me remember how to properly do a _fouetté en tournant._ Give Dominic one less thing to tease me about, and maybe even impress Madame Nicole."

Shelby glanced at the clock. "She's probably in the auditorium. I let class out early and I remember seeing her head that way."

Holly grabbed her bag and then turned back towards her aunt as she stood in the doorway. "Does that mean I might run into Dominic too?"

"I'm honestly not sure. Most of the members of my team don't hang out in the auditorium like Rachel, Jesse, and their friends do."

Holly sighed and nodded. As she opened the doors to the hallway, she saw Dominic quickly move out of the door's pathway.

"Are you following me or something?" Holly demanded as she was once again met with Dominic's infuriating smile.

"Sorry, new girl, I just came to ask Shelby a couple of questions. Sorry to burst your bubble."

"I have a name, you know."

"I'm aware, trust me."

"Then use it!" Holly retorted, spinning on her heel to take the long way to the auditorium, knowing she'd need the time to calm down.

Dominic smiled to himself as he made his way towards Shelby's office. Holly was proving to be just as much of a spitfire as her younger cousin, something that only made her more attractive to him.

* * *

"Grandma St. James is here," Jesse informed his cousin as they walked out of rehearsal.

Blaine nodded. "I know. My mom called just before rehearsal started. I guess we're all supposed to go over to Genevieve's."

"Gen said she told Grandma about you and Kurt."

Blaine turned to his cousin in surprise. "She did?"

Jesse nodded. "I guess all she asked was if Kurt treats you well, and when Gen assured her that he did, she seemed content with that."

"Well that makes me feel better."

"I guess my father called her and that's what prompted her visit."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Because you and Genevieve decided to not listen to him?"

"Pretty much."

"Well, Grandma seems to be in a good mood, so I guess we should take advantage of that."

Jesse glanced towards his girlfriend, who was currently deep in conversation with her own cousin. "I want her to like Rachel. I know it hurt her to find out my parents wouldn't even give her a chance. I'm sure she never thought her future in-laws would hate her before they even met her."

"Rachel's crazy about you, Jesse. I doubt it matters much anymore. Ideally, would she like them to approve of her? Yes, I'm sure she would, but your sister likes her, as do my parents, and those are the people that mean the most to you. Their approval means more to her than your parents' disapproval."

"Gen said she already thinks of Rachel as her sister, and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual."

"That's the spirit."

Jesse chuckled. "What would I do without you, Mr. Positive?"

"Have a dull, boring, rather negative life," Blaine answered with a grin before he and Jesse both burst into laughter.

* * *

"Why aren't they here yet? They were supposed to be here ten minutes ago!" Jacqueline demanded of her granddaughter.

"Jesse said they'll be here in just a couple of minutes. They wanted to shower first."

"That makes sense," Jacqueline agreed.

Before either woman could say anything else, they saw Jesse let himself into the house, a whole group of people behind him. Jacqueline studied her grandson, the way he held tight to the petite brunette next to him.

"Jesse," Jacqueline said, effectively getting his attention.

"Hello, Grandma," Jesse replied, not releasing his grip on Rachel's hand.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your young lady?"

"Sorry," Jesse apologized before he gestured towards the girl at his side. "Grandma, this is my girlfriend, Rachel Berry. Rach, this is my Grandma St. James."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. St. James," Rachel said politely.

Jacqueline smiled. "Jacqueline is fine, dear. Genevieve said you sing as well."

Rachel nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Jesse and I are the leads of Vocal Adrenaline, and we both want to have careers on Broadway."

Jacqueline studied the young couple in front of her. Each of them had an arm around the other's waist, standing together as a solid unit. "Good. Sharing a dream with your future husband is always a good thing. It was nice to meet you, Rachel, and I hope I'm not asking too much by requesting you sing something for me in a little bit."

"Do you have any requests?" Rachel asked.

"Surprise me," Jacqueline said with a smile as she moved to talk to Blaine and Kurt.

"Do you think she likes me?" Rachel asked her boyfriend as they looked through the pieces of music that Genevieve had.

Jesse smiled at her. "Yes. Definitely. Now you can wow her with your singing."

"With us singing a duet? It's a sure thing," Rachel responded, making Jesse chuckle.

"Hi, Grandma," Blaine greeted, giving his grandmother a hug.

"Hello, darling," Jacqueline returned, still in a good mood from her talk with Rachel and Jesse.

"Grandma, this is my boyfriend, Kurt Hummel. Kurt, this is my mom's mom, my Grandma St. James."

"Those colors complement your skin tone very well," Kurt remarked, unsure what else to say.

Jacqueline smiled. "Thank you. Genevieve tells me you are interested in fashion as well as performing."

Kurt nodded. "I am."

"Have you made anything of your own?" Jacqueline inquired.

"I have a lot in progress," Kurt admitted. "I haven't been pleased enough with anything to let anyone else near it."

"Everyone has to start somewhere," Jacqueline said with a smile. "Rachel said you two have known each other since you were little."

Kurt smiled and nodded. "We have. She's the best friend I could ever ask for."

"It was nice meeting you, Kurt, and I hope we can talk clothes and fashion sometime soon, but I would really like to meet Shelby."

"Just look for an older version of Rachel," Kurt told her with a smile.

"She's talking to Genevieve right now," Blaine added.

Jacqueline smiled and nodded as she made her way over to the woman currently talking with her granddaughter.

"Grandma, this is Shelby Corcoran. She's Rachel's mom," Genevieve explained as Jacqueline appeared at her side.

"I see the resemblance," Jacqueline said with a smile before she turned to Shelby. "My granddaughter informed me that you were the one responsible for caring for my grandson when his parents left."

Shelby nodded. "I live just a couple of houses down. Before Jesse and Genevieve reconciled, I offered to let Jesse move in with me. I went from an empty house to a nearly full one in just a couple of months."

"I know you didn't have to do that, so thank you. It's a relief to me to know that my grandchildren are being looked after."

"I don't agree with the way your son and daughter-in-law just abandoned their son," Shelby informed her.

"I don't either," Jacqueline assured the younger woman. "I came here to see for myself how they were all doing. Martin called me, none too pleased about some recent developments in his children's lives."

Shelby rolled her eyes. "He doesn't like my daughter and he's never even met her."

Jacqueline sighed. "I tried to teach him not to judge someone before he met them, but I'm afraid most of the people my late husband and I associated with when he was growing up were like that. Your daughter obviously loves my grandson, and that's more important to me than what her parents do for a living."

"They love each other very much," Shelby assured the older woman. "Jesse's very protective of her."

Jacqueline smiled. "I could tell. Now, would you do me a favor and introduce me to the rest of your lovely family?"

Shelby returned Jacqueline's smile before she led her over to where the rest of the group stood talking amongst themselves.

A short while later, Jacqueline found herself seated between her two youngest grandchildren as she awaited a female-only performance. Shelby was seated at the piano, with Rachel seated next to her, and Genevieve and Holly standing nearby. She recognized the piece as soon as Holly sang the first few lyrics.

_I'm nothing special, in fact I'm a bit of a bore  
When I tell a joke, you've probably heard it before_

Shelby smiled a little as she heard her niece sing. Holly had a very nice voice, but she usually preferred to dance instead of sing. Apparently being around Rachel, even for just a few hours, had brought out more of the singer in her. Taking the cue from Holly, she sang the next few lines.

_But I have a talent, a wonderful thing  
cause everyone listens when I start to sing _ _I'm so grateful and proud_  
All I want is to sing it out loud

Rachel smiled as she joined her voice with Genevieve's, Holly's, and her mother's for the chorus, hoping Jesse's grandmother was enjoying the performance.

_So I say_  
Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing  
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing  
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty  
What would life be?  
Without a song or a dance what are we?  
So I say thank you for the music  
For giving it to me

Deciding the opening lyrics of the next verse suited her perfectly; Holly opted to sing first once again, doing a little dance of her own as she did.

_Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk_

Rachel's smile grew as she sang the next line.

_She says I began to sing long before I could talk_

Sharing a smile with her daughter, Shelby sang the following lines.

_But I often wonder, how did it all start?_  
Who found out that nothing could capture a heart  
Like a melody can?  
Well, whoever it was, I'm a fan

Once again deciding to sing the chorus together, the four women gathered around the piano joined their voices together.

_So I say_  
Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing  
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing  
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty  
What would life be?  
Without a song or a dance what are we?  
So I say thank you for the music  
For giving it to me

Knowing her grandmother would be disappointed if she didn't sing a solo, and feeling comfortable with the people she considered family, Genevieve took the next few lines herself.

_'ve been so lucky, I am the girl with golden hair_  
I wanna sing it out to everybody  
What a joy, what a life, what a chance!

Never having heard Genevieve sing before, Rachel and Shelby exchanged a surprised look before they sang the last chorus with both her and Holly.

_hank you for the music, the songs I'm singing_  
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing  
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty  
What would life be?  
Without a song or a dance what are we?  
So I say thank you for the music  
For giving it to me  
So I say thank you for the music  
For giving it to me

After the performance, Jacqueline couldn't take the smile off of her face. She was beginning to understand why Jesse and Blaine preferred to spend the majority of time with these people, and Rachel was definitely as talented as Genevieve had told her she was. Although she had only intended her trip to be a couple of days, she was seriously considering extending it so she could get to know all of these people better. Her son was terrible wrong about them and she fully intended to let him know that when she spoke to him next. Everyone had been wonderful to her, so warm and welcoming, and she sincerely wanted to see Jesse and Blaine perform as well. She was hoping to talk Shelby into letting her come to a rehearsal or borrow the DVD of the Invitational so she could do just that. She was broken out of her thoughts by Genevieve saying her name.

"Grandma," she said again as she took the seat next to her on the couch.

"Is everything okay, dear?" Jacqueline asked, noticing her granddaughter looked rather nervous.

"There's one more thing I haven't told you; that I think it's important you know."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** I know next to no French so I apologize in advance if my translations aren't correct (I used Google translate), and as always, translations will be at the bottom :)

* * *

Judging from the look on her granddaughter's face, Jacqueline could tell that whatever was bothering Genevieve had been doing so for quite some time.

"What's wrong?"

"Remember how I told you that my dad tried to get to Jesse's college fund?" At Jacqueline's nod, Genevieve continued. "I just got a message from him saying that since Jesse wasn't going to be using the money for an acceptable school, he took the money back. If Jesse doesn't get a scholarship, he won't be able to afford college…"

Jacqueline sighed. "I'm not sure how he managed to get the money back, but I'm sure he found some kind of loophole or paid somebody a lot of money to do it. I wish your grandfather had been a better example for your father-Thomas was a loving man, but I'm afraid he let others make decisions for him more often than not. Don't get me wrong, I loved the man, but that doesn't mean I agree with all of his actions."

"Jesse would never be happy staying here in Ohio. He's destined for bigger and better things. I just don't know how to help him."

"I have money of my own, you know," Jacqueline informed her granddaughter. "If Jesse doesn't get a scholarship, or needs money for expenses, I will take care of it. The same goes for you, young lady. I understand that you're making your own money and you have Joel's income to help as well, but if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask, especially since I'm about to ask you for a favor of my own."

"What's that?"

"I was hoping to extend my trip a few days, maybe even a couple of weeks. I want more time to spend with everyone before I have to go give my son a piece of my mind."

"I'd love to have you stay longer, Grandma. You're more than welcome here. Besides, I think I heard my darling little brother telling my fiancé that you had some stories about my childhood that he'd be interested in," Genevieve assured the older woman.

Jacqueline laughed. "Maybe I should tell his Rachel some stories about  _him_."

"Oh, I already have," Genevieve said with a laugh of her own.

* * *

Later that night, as she and Jesse got comfortable in her bed, Rachel told him about Holly's encounter with Dominic.

"Holly said you've known Dominic since grade school."

Jesse nodded. "I have. We've never been that close, but we always managed to have a class or two together."

"I think they would be cute together."

"Rachel, I love you, but I'm going to tell you the same thing I told you when you wanted Kurt and Blaine to get together-while I think it's incredibly adorable that you want everyone to be as happy as we are, you need to let them figure things out for themselves."

Rachel sighed, making her boyfriend chuckle. "I know, and I promise I'll try not to interfere, I just want Holly to be happy, too."

Jesse pressed a kiss to her temple. "I understand. If they're meant to be, they'll find a way to work everything out."

"Says the one who called me late at night to ask me on a date for the next morning because he didn't want to wait any longer for us to be together," Rachel teased with a grin.

Jesse returned her grin and shrugged. "I didn't hear any complaining from you."

Rachel laughed and then hugged her boyfriend tightly. "I'm certainly not. Do you agree with me, though, that they would be cute together?"

Jesse thought for a moment before he answered. "I do, actually. I think your aunt and uncle would like him as well."

Rachel giggled. "Don't tell Holly that."

Jesse laughed along with his girlfriend. "Oh, I know better than that already."

"Maybe I should work on getting her to audition for Vocal Adrenaline. It would give us an even number again."

"How does she feel about spying?" Jesse wondered.

"She'd probably be up for it, why?"

"Shelby said she was thinking of sending a few of us to Lima to check out the show choir at your old school."

"When did she say that?"

"You were listening to Holly rant."

Rachel laughed. "Ah. That makes sense. She'd probably go simply because it would get her away from her parents overnight."

"So invite her along, and I'll invite Dominic, only you don't know I'm going to do that."

Rachel stared at her boyfriend in shock. "Are you actually  _helping_  me with a matchmaking scheme?"

Jesse smirked at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Rachel giggled. "Of course not," she said as she curled further into his side. "I'll think of some ideas and we'll come back to the subject in a couple of days. Right now, I want to sleep."

Jesse nodded in agreement, brushing his lips with Rachel's before tightening his arms around her. "'Night Rach, love you."

"Goodnight, Jess. I love you, too."

* * *

Walking into her dance class the following Friday, Holly was surprised to find that she had gotten there before Dominic. For whatever reason, he was always there before her-every day.

" _Bonjour_ , Madame Nicole," Holly greeted as she sat to lace up her shoes.

" _Bonjour, Madmoiselle_  Evans," Nicole responded with a smile. Although she had been concerned when Shelby had asked her to let Holly into the class, her fears were laid to rest by the end of the first day. Even though she was out of practice, it was obvious that Holly had danced for many years-she caught on quickly and was very diligent.

As she was warming up, Holly noticed Dominic make his way into the classroom and he looked abnormally frazzled. Muttering a quick apology to Madame Nicole, he quickly tied his own shoes and took his place next to her at the bar. Turning slightly, she caught Dominic's eye and raised an eyebrow in question, only earning a shake of the head in return. Pursing her lips, Holly turned back around and concentrated on Madame Nicole's instructions as she tried to figure out why she was so concerned with the boy who had been a pain in her side since the moment they met.

* * *

After finishing with her last class of the day, Holly quickly made her way to the library, hoping that with her chemistry lesson still fresh in her mind, she would be able to finish her assignment before she went home. Taking a seat at the last open table, it wasn't long before she found that the professor's seemingly easy homework assignment was anything but. Carmel was known as much for their academics as they were their fine arts program, and while she knew both would better her chances of getting into college, it was still frustrating.

" _Je déteste la chimie_ ," she muttered as she threw her pencil down and just before she heard a deep chuckle from behind her.

"What did that poor chemistry book ever do to you?" Dominic wondered.

"Existed," Holly answered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Dominic chuckled again. "I could help you."

Holly narrowed her eyes at the taller boy. "Why are you suddenly being nice to me?"

"I was never mean to you."

"You got me in trouble with Madame Nicole on the first day!"

Dominic grinned at her. "You got yourself in trouble, new girl."

"I really wish you'd stop calling me that. You said you knew my name, you use it in class, so why can't you use it outside of it?"

"Because you  _are_  the new girl."

"Did you call Rachel new girl, too?"

"No."

Holly sighed. "If I promise not to complain about the name, will you help me?"

Dominic flashed her a grin. "How long of this non-complaining are we talking about?" he wondered as he took the seat next to her.

"I'm going to regret this I'm sure, but for the rest of the day."

Dominic stuck out his hand. "Shake on it,"

"What am I, a  _chien_?"

"No, you're not a dog, but it has to be official."

Holly rolled her eyes as Dominic continued to grin at her. "Fine, whatever. Just help me," she said as she shook his hand.

A bit unnerved by the feeling he got when he shook Holly's hand, Dominic immediately reached for the chemistry book and Holly's assignment. He scanned the assignment quickly before he took a pencil and piece of paper from his own bag.

"Here, I'll show you an easier way to do this," he began.

"You actually understand this stuff?" Holly asked incredulously.

Dominic chuckled. "Yes. It helps that my uncle is a chemistry and physics professor, so I kind of had built in help right there. If it makes you feel better, you're obviously way better at French than I am."

This time it was Holly's turn to grin. "It does."

Dominic shook his head. "Just pay attention, new girl."

Holly bit her lip to keep her retort to herself as she listened to Dominic explain the assignment.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Holly had completed her assignment and was waiting for Dominic to finish checking it when she felt her phone buzz.

_Working late, Shelby will give you a ride home. See you later tonight._

Holly frowned at her mother's text message. She was grounded from the car until her grades improved, and that unfortunately included school.

"I need to go find my cousin."

Dominic was broken out of his thoughts by Holly's voice. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"No, I'm going to kill my mother," Holly snapped, grabbing her books and shoving them back in her bag.

"Is Rachel going to help you or something?"

Holly shook her head as she lifted her bag onto her shoulder and then quickly walked out of the room. Dominic watched her leave and then proceeded to gather up his own things, wondering if he'd be seeing Holly in rehearsal or not.

* * *

"Please tell me you have your car today," Holly said as she approached her cousin in the Vocal Adrenaline girls' locker room.

Rachel shook her head. "I don't usually drive to school; we usually take Jesse's car. I think my Daddy is at home, though. Do you want me to see if he can come get you?"

Holly sighed as she sat down on a nearby bench. "I don't know. My brain hurts."

Rachel giggled as she took a seat next to her cousin. "Why does your brain hurt?"

"Because…I was all ready to continue hating Dominic and his stupid, infuriating grin, but then he had to go and be helpful. Now I can't hate him."

"I'm a little lost. Why would you hate Dominic?"

"Did I not tell you he got me in trouble my first day of class?"

"You told me, I just figured it was more of an annoyance than you actually hating him. He's always been nice to me. Are you sure this isn't you trying to rebel against Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick again, since I'm pretty sure they would like Dominic."

Holly glared at her cousin. "I'm sure. He keeps calling me 'new girl', but he's aware what my name is."

Ignoring her cousin's glare, Rachel studied her cousin carefully. "What did my mom tell you about him?"

"That I had to learn to get along with him if I wanted to keep my ballet class, which I do. She also said that I should get to know him."

"I'm sure Jesse would give you a ride home if you want to tag along to rehearsal today. You said yourself you wanted to check it out before you joined, and I know my mom would be okay with it."

Holly sighed. "I might as well. I'm already here."

Rachel grinned and hugged her cousin. "Great! Let's go!" she said excitedly, grabbing Holly's hand.

Holly couldn't help but laugh as she followed Rachel. Although they hadn't been close in the past, she knew that that was already changing.

* * *

"I take it you got your mom's text," Shelby said to her niece as she appeared at her side.

Holly nodded as she took the seat next to her aunt. "Rachel said I should use the opportunity to check out what rehearsal is like."

Shelby smiled. "I'm glad you're here, Holly."

Holly returned her aunt's smile. "Thanks Aunt Shelby."

"I need to get rehearsal started, but if you have any questions, let me know."

Holly nodded, her eyes immediately finding Dominic, who appeared to be deep in conversation with Jesse about something. She made a mental note to ask Jesse what they were talking about, or get Rachel to find out for her, later-especially since she saw Jesse laugh and then pat Dominic on the shoulder, followed by a glare from Dominic. With a shake of her head, she pulled out some of the homework she hadn't finished earlier and attempted to concentrate on that while Shelby started rehearsal.

* * *

"Who's the new girl?" Sasha asked as she took her place next to her teammates on the stage.

"Shelby's niece. I don't know her name. All I know is she transferred from Kennedy last week," Nina replied.

"Her name is Holly," Santana informed them. "Shelby is her ride home and she's considering joining the team, so Rachel suggested she just sit in on a rehearsal."

"Great," Sasha grumbled. "Another solo stealer."

Santana was about to tell the blonde-haired girl off in Spanish when a new voice joined the conversation.

"She's not after your so-called solos, Sasha. She just wants to dance, although she can still do both better than you," Dominic snapped.

Sasha glared at the older boy. "No one asked you," she replied with a toss of her hair before she walked to the other side of the stage.

Once Sasha was out of ear-shot, Santana turned to her teammate. "You like Holly, don't you?"

Dominic shrugged. "Doesn't matter how I feel or don't feel."

" _Chicos_ ," Santana muttered before turning her attention back to her coach.

* * *

Once Shelby had dropped her off at home, Holly let herself in the house, surprised to find that her mother was waiting for her in the entryway.

"You're late."

Holly sighed and handed her mother a note that Shelby had written. Sara scanned it quickly before turning her attention back to her daughter.

"Is your homework finished?"

"What is this, an interrogation?" Holly demanded.

"I'm just trying to understand why you won't talk to me. I understand you're mad about the unexpected transfer, but it's been over a week already. Give it up, Holly."

"I don't talk to you because you don't listen. You hear what you want to hear, not what I'm trying to tell you. Aunt Shelby and Rachel get along so well because they  _listen_  to each other. Even Dominic listens better than you do and he mostly just irritates me."

"Another boy? Holly."

"See? This is what I'm talking about! I can't even get homework help from a boy without you jumping to conclusions!"

"Homework help?" Sara asked, unsure she was hearing her daughter correctly.

"Yes. I met Dominic in my ballet class. He understands chemistry. He helped me comprehend what I was doing. He still refuses to use my real name anywhere but in class, but whatever I guess. I won't be pulling my hair out trying to understand everything."

"You have a ballet class?"

Holly sighed, shifting her bag on her shoulder. "Yes. Aunt Shelby got me into it. I even went to a Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal today, which I'm pretty sure made Rachel's day."

"So you're enjoying Carmel then?"

"I am. Rachel and her friends have already completely accepted me, no questions asked, plus none of them think the arts are a stupid waste of time. I haven't been getting into trouble…except my first day of ballet class…but that was Dominic's fault."

Sara did her best to hide a smile. She wasn't exactly sure who this Dominic boy was, but he'd obviously left an impression on her daughter. "Why was it his fault?" she asked.

"Because he distracted me, so I didn't have a chance to tie my shoes before I took a place at the bar. Madame Nicole said I was forgiven because it was my first day and Dominic was being his usual mischievous self, though."

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying Carmel. I'll let you get to whatever homework you have left."

"I finished everything at school," Holly informed her mother, earning a surprised look in return. "I would like to drop my bag off upstairs, though, and maybe even get the bathroom before Liam hogs it. 'Night, Mom."

Still unsure whether or not she should believe her ears, Sara watched her daughter walk up the stairs and disappear down the hall to her room.

* * *

"Did Holly say what she thought about rehearsal?" Jesse asked his girlfriend as they walked into Shelby's after rehearsal.

Rachel shook her head. "I'm not quite sure she knows what to think just yet. I know her main concern right now is her grades, and she seemed more interested in Dominic than the goings-on at rehearsal."

Jesse chuckled. "So the interest  _is_  mutual."

Rachel shared a grin with her boyfriend. "I'm not sure either of them is really aware of it yet, but I'd definitely have to say yes."

"Say yes to what, sweetie?" Hiram asked as Rachel and Jesse walked into the living room.

"Holly and Dominic being interested in each other," Rachel answered with a grin.

"Dominic?" Leroy wondered from his seat next to Hiram.

"He's a friend of mine; I've known him since grade school and he's in Vocal Adrenaline with Rachel and me. He and Holly met in their ballet class," Jesse informed him.

"Would Sara approve of him?" Hiram questioned.

"Yes, but don't tell Holly that."

Hiram laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it. We played the same trick of sorts on Sara when she first met Nick."

"Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick didn't get along at first, either?" Rachel asked.

"They got along just fine, but Sara refused to think of him as anything more than a friend, refused to introduce him to your grandparents for quite a while."

Rachel giggled. "So Holly and Aunt Sara are more alike than they think?"

Hiram nodded. "I know your dad wanted Jesse's help with something, so why don't you sit next to me and I'll tell you how we convinced Sara to give Nick a chance while they go do whatever it is they need to do."

Not thinking anything of it, Rachel took Leroy's now-vacated seat on the couch while he and Jesse went into the other room.

"I'm not in trouble, am I?" Jesse wondered as he and Leroy walked into the music room.

Leroy chuckled. "No, son, you're not. Since Hiram has Rachel successfully distracted, I wanted to let you in on our plan for Rachel's birthday."

Jesse caught on right away. "Hiram's opening a restaurant."

"Yes. Joel and Genevieve have both agreed to help. The good thing is the spot Hiram picked is close to here, but it's not on your usual way home from school, so Rachel will hopefully not suspect anything. He really wants it to be a surprise for her."

"She'll love it, I have no doubt."

"I'm sure you already have a plan of your own in the works for that day, but Hiram and I were hoping you would be willing to include us, as well as Shelby, in it."

"I don't have anything set in stone yet, but I have some ideas," Jesse revealed. "All of which involve all three of you. You all mean so much to her, I know she'd be disappointed if she didn't get to see you on her birthday."

"She's lucky to have you."

Jesse shook his head. "I'm the lucky one."

Leroy smiled. "I think you're both lucky to have found each other."

Jesse returned Leroy's smile. "I definitely have to agree with you there."

* * *

The next morning, Holly woke up to the sound of her phone indicating she had a text message. Blinking to clear her vision, she reached for the noisy device to see who had decided to wake her up so early on a weekend.

_Wake up, new girl, today's an adventure_

Holly rolled her eyes. Dominic. She should have known. When he had offered to program his number into her phone, in case she had any more chemistry questions, she should have known he'd take down her number as well.

_Why are you awake this early…and what's this adventure you're talking about?_

Dominic's response came within seconds.

_Meet me at school in 20._

With a sigh, Holly reluctantly got out of bed, silently cursing Dominic for being able to peak her curiosity and for waking her up so early. After quickly changing into jeans and a t-shirt, she grabbed her purse and the keys to her car that she'd gotten back last night before making her way downstairs. Once she'd written a short note to her parents, she shut the door as quietly as possible behind her.

"What are we waiting for again?" Puck wondered, already irritated at having to be awake this early on a weekend-even earlier than for weekend rehearsal.

"Not  _qué_ ,  _quién_ ," Santana corrected her boyfriend with a grin as she noticed the satisfied grin on Dominic's face.

"Patience, Noah," Rachel reminded her friend with a grin of her own.

* * *

As Rachel talked with Santana and Puck, Jesse made his way over to his childhood friend.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on or do I have to force it out of you?"

"Rachel was saying she was disappointed that Holly didn't agree to tag along on this little spying mission, and since I hate to see her unhappy, I simply did my part in making sure she stays happy."

"By doing…what, exactly?"

"By getting Holly here," Dominic answered nonchalantly.

"You're just using my girlfriend as a cover-up," Jesse said with a laugh.

Dominic grinned at his friend. "You're not going to kill me, are you?"

"Because I know it'll make Rach happy to have Holly along, I won't. Just please tell me you're actually seriously interested in this girl. Remember that Rach is Shelby's daughter…I wouldn't advise making her angry, which playing her cousin would definitely do."

"I'm not really like that, you know. Holly is the first girl I've met in a long time who didn't think I was strange because I willingly enrolled in a ballet class. Plus, she intrigues me."

Jesse grinned. "You're already half in love with her and you barely know her."

"You're one to talk. How long did it take you to confess to Rachel that you loved her? A couple of weeks?"

Jesse looked over at the girl in question before he answered. "I knew the moment I met her, I just didn't want to admit it at that point."

Before either boy could say anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of Holly's voice from nearby.

"This better be good, Dominic, or I'll strangle you. It's far too early to be awake."

Dominic turned to grin at the shorter girl. "We're going to Lima."

"Going to Lima is  _not_  an adventure."

"We're going to check out McKinley's show choir. Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy have already left. We're staying at their house in Lima tonight."

"I don't think my mom will let me not come home tonight," Holly said.

"I'll talk to Aunt Sara," Rachel volunteered, joining the conversation.

Holly shrugged, dialing her mother's number and handing the phone to her cousin. Dominic looked between Holly and Jesse. "Will she actually convince her to let you go?" he wondered.

"I'd be willing to bet money she will," Holly answered.

"How much are we talking?" Puck asked.

"Ignore him," Santana advised.

* * *

A few minutes later, Rachel walked back over to the group and handed the phone back to her cousin with a smile. "Everything is taken care of," she said.

Holly just stared at her cousin. "Are you serious?"

Rachel blinked in surprise. "Why wouldn't I be? Once I explained to Aunt Sara that our whole group was going to Lima, and since we consider you part of said group now, we all felt badly about having to leave you behind because you wouldn't be able to come home tonight, she seemed agreeable. I also mentioned Dominic and she seemed happy enough to let you go."

Dominic grinned, earning a slap on the arm from Holly. "Don't even  _think_  about letting that go to your head," she told him.

Dominic simply winked at her before grabbing her wrist and leading her towards his car. "Come on, new girl, the day's adventure is just beginning."

Holly looked back towards her cousin, who was unsuccessfully trying to hide her laughter, before sighing and deciding it would probably be in her best interests to simply follow Dominic.

* * *

_Bonjour_ = Hello

_Madmoiselle_ = Miss

_Je déteste la chimie_  = I hate chemistry

_Chicos_  = boys

_qué_ = what

_quién_ = who


	26. Chapter 26

As they watched Dominic lead Holly toward his car, Kurt and Blaine exchanged a confused look before turning to their best friends.

"When did that happen?" Blaine asked, nodding his head towards the two people in question.

"Holly met Dominic her first day of ballet class," Rachel explained. "At first she hated him, or at least she thinks she did. Now, though, I think she's just trying to hide the fact that she's genuinely interested in him."

Kurt studied the two as they appeared to argue about something. "Are you sure those two together is a good idea?" he asked his best friend.

Rachel nodded. "Holly's always been argumentative. It's just how she is. Dominic seems to be able to handle it well enough."

"Dominic's relatively laid-back," Jesse agreed. "I think it's a good balance."

"What about you two, then? You're both high-maintenance. Where's the balance there?" Blaine teased.

"Well, I'm more high-maintenance than Jesse is, and since he's high-maintenance himself, he can understand me better," Rachel replied with a smile for her boyfriend.

"That's very true," Kurt agreed.

"You know I'm just teasing, right?" Blaine asked.

Rachel and Jesse both nodded. "We know," Jesse assured his cousin.

" _¡_ _Vámonos_ _!_ " Santana interjected before anyone could say anything else.

"I have to agree with Satan. Let's blow this popsicle stand," Puck added.

"You all remember how to get to my dads' house, right?" Rachel asked.

"Yes. We'll meet you there. We'll call if we can't find it," Kurt assured her. "Plus your dad gave us all directions, remember?"

"Right," Rachel responded as she looked over to where Holly and Dominic still stood.

"They'll be fine," Jesse assured his girlfriend before taking her hand and leading her over to his own car.

* * *

"You know, the longer you argue with me about who's driving  _my_  car, the longer it's going to take us to get to Lima."

"You've never been to Lima. I have. Simple decision."

"I'm older, I've been driving longer. Once again, it's  _my_  car. Easier decision."

Holly glared at the boy in front of her. "I get to pick the music then."

Dominic sighed, getting tired of arguing with Holly. "Fine, whatever, let's just go," he said before walking to the driver's side.

"I think I'm just going to go home, I'll see you Monday," Holly said as she began to make her way to her own car.

"I wish you wouldn't."

Surprised by Dominic's words, Holly turned back toward him. "Why?" she asked simply.

"I know that I made it seem like I only invited you to make Rachel happy, but that's not completely true."

Holly studied Dominic for a minute before she walked around to the passenger side of the car and got in herself. When he only stared at her, she just smiled. "I thought we had a day full of adventure ahead of us?"

Dominic shook his head as he got in and started his car. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you, new girl?"

Holly grinned at him in spite of the nickname. "I have to be, keeps you on your toes."

* * *

"So the Invitational is tonight?" Rachel asked as Jesse steered the car onto the highway.

"Yes. At 7 I think."

"Then why in the world are we going so early?"

"Ask your mom, I have no idea, but I learned a long time ago not to argue with her."

Rachel giggled. "Arguing with her rarely accomplishes anything."

Jesse nodded in agreement as he reached for Rachel's hand. "I'm sure she wants us to be able to have plenty of time to get settled before we have to be at McKinley. Was Kurt able to get any more information out of that Mercedes girl about the team?"

"Aside from the fact that she  _still_  thinks she deserves every solo and that she's the second coming of Whitney, no."

Jesse chuckled. "It sounds like you don't like her attitude."

"Of course I don't. I can respect that she's Kurt's friend, and I'm fine with it, I just don't like people who think they're entitled to something without having to put in the work for it."

"Your mom has no tolerance for that kind of behavior, just ask Sasha. I've lost count of the number of the times she and Shelby butted heads over whether or not she deserved something."

"Does Sasha honestly think she'll convince my mother that her opinion is the right one someday?"

"I think she does, though it beats me as to why."

"Speaking of people who butt heads, I wish I could get Holly and my Aunt Sara to get along better. I feel bad that my mom and I are as close as we are, even though I've never lived with her up until a few weeks ago, yet Holly and Aunt Sara have been together all of Holly's life and they mostly just argue."

Jesse squeezed Rachel's hand. "That's because you care about them. You're also very much a mixture of all three of your parents, where as I've gotten the impression that Holly and your Aunt Sara are very much alike, which is why they argue as much as they do."

Rachel nodded in agreement. "I get that, but it doesn't change the fact that I still feel badly when I talk about things my mom and I do together."

"I'm sure they'll figure it out eventually. They must have had some kind of conversation last night, since Holly had her car."

"That's true."

"I know something else that's true."

"What's that?"

"That we haven't sung together in far too long, and you need to take your mind off of your cousin and your aunt. I understand you're concerned, but there's only so much you can do."

"Singing always does make me feel better, especially with you," Rachel agreed. "Where's your iPod?"

Jesse momentarily released his girlfriend's hand so he could take the device out of his pocket and hand it to her. "You pick," he told her.

Rachel smiled as she felt Jesse once again reach for her hand. Once she had selected the song she wanted, she reached to turn the volume up and began to sing along.

* * *

"Why don't you drive a Range Rover like Jesse?" Holly asked as Dominic drove.

"I have one, but I don't really like driving it. My sister likes it better; it's easier to haul around all of her friends in. My parents bought me a car instead."

"You have a sister at Carmel?"

Dominic shook his head. "She doesn't go to Carmel. She doesn't live in Akron, actually. She lives with her dad and my mom in Ashford. She's my step-sister, but my mom and step-dad have been married for so long that we basically grew up together. Same with my dad and my step-mom."

"That has to make family get-togethers interesting," Holly commented.

Dominic laughed. "It does, but everyone gets along, so it's fine and usually a lot of fun."

"Mine are usually pretty  _ennuyeux_ , although now that Rachel's here, I'm sure there'd be a lot more  _intéressant_."

"You add French words to sentences like Santana adds Spanish ones to hers. What's up with that little habit?"

"My dad is actually a French translator at the hospital in Akron, so he started teaching me at a young age. I can speak some Spanish, I took it as my foreign language, but not the way Santana can."

"Since you're better at French than me and I'm better at chemistry than you, why don't we make a deal," Dominic proposed.

Holly considered for a moment before she answered. "What type of deal are we talking?"

"If you help me with my French, I'll help you with your chemistry."

"Is that why you were late to class that day?"

Dominic rolled his eyes. "Yes. I was attempting to pass my French test when I could barely understand any of it."

"Doesn't Carmel require two years of a foreign language?"

"I took French my sophomore year, then I didn't have room for it last year, so I held off until this year. Big mistake."

"We could make a deal," Holly suggested.

"What kind of deal are we talking about?"

"You help me with chemistry; I'll help you with French."

Dominic flashed her a grin before he responded. "Deal."

As Dominic's iPod lay forgotten in Holly's lap, the two continued their conversation, neither really taking note of how easy it was to talk to each other.

* * *

"Your room at your mom's really is a replica of the one here," Jesse commented as Rachel led him into her room at her dads' house.

Rachel smiled. "It is. My Mom thought it would be comforting to have the room look more familiar. There're a few subtle changes, but overall they're pretty much the same. I wanted it that way, though."

"I can understand that. Do you miss Lima?"

"Not so much anymore. Now that my dads are in Akron with me, I don't really have anything here but memories. I'm pretty sure they want to start a Rachel Berry museum with all of the stuff of mine they still have here."

Jesse chuckled. "More pictures of you when you were little?" he asked as he lounged on the bed.

"Probably. I think there's even some of Holly in there, too."

Jesse tugged his girlfriend down onto the bed beside him. "Since we're the first ones here, I think we should take advantage of the alone time while we've got it."

"What did you have in mind?" Rachel asked as she shifted closer to her boyfriend.

"A lot less talking," Jesse answered before leaning down to capture Rachel's lips with his.

* * *

"You two didn't  _destruyó_ each other?" Santana commented as Holly and Dominic entered the living room of the Berry home.

"Nope," Holly answered simply, walking over to where Blaine and Kurt were sitting. "Where are the  _tourtereaux_?"

"Upstairs," Puck answered with a grin.

"I don't want to know," Holly decided as she took a seat on the armrest of the chair Dominic had just sat down in.

"Probably a good idea," Kurt agreed, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"Especially if Puck's mind has anything to do with it," Dominic added.

"So, Holly, have you decided if you're going to join Vocal Adrenaline or not?" Blaine wondered, attempting to change the subject.

Holly shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. I was only talking with my aunt and I saw that blonde girl shooting me dirty looks."

"That's Sasha. She's a bitch, ignore her," Santana advised. "She and I go at it frequently. She and Shelby used to, but I think it's finally getting through her thick skull that arguing with Shelby isn't going to get her anywhere."

"Is it really that difficult to figure out?"

"For Sasha it is," Dominic put in. "At least I don't have to dance with her anymore. I lost count of the times she stepped on my feet."

"Who's your partner now?" Holly wondered.

"You."

Holly slapped Dominic's arm playfully. "You know I meant in Vocal Adrenaline."

"Like I said, you. As soon as you join, that is."

"He doesn't have a dance partner right now," Kurt answered helpfully.

As Kurt and Holly talked, Santana studied Dominic and the way that his eyes rarely left Holly's form. She decided to give them a few days to get their act together and then she'd be doing some pushing.

* * *

"Jess," Rachel said, reluctantly ending their kiss.

"Hmm?" he asked, leaning in to brush his lips with hers again.

"As much as I'd love to continue this, I know our friends are downstairs now. We shouldn't just leave them there by themselves."

"Why not? I'm sure Santana can keep them all in line-even Holly."

Rachel giggled. "Probably, but they're all guests and it would be rude to ignore them."

Jesse sighed. "Someday I  _will_  convince you to ignore them."

Rachel leaned over to brush her lips with Jesse's before she spoke. "Probably, but not today. Besides, I want to check on Holly and Dominic."

"I'm kind of interested to see if their dynamic changed at all," Jesse confessed as he followed Rachel out of the room.

"Considering I didn't get any more "I'm in Hell, help me" texts, I'm inclined to think everything went smoothly."

Jesse chuckled at the memory of those texts. Although she was more argumentative than her younger cousin, both she and Rachel were equally dramatic. At the very least, it made life interesting. As he and his own drama queen walked into the living room, he was surprised to see Holly and Dominic not only getting along, but also sitting close to each other.

* * *

"So what's the deal with you and Dominic?" Rachel wondered as she watched her cousin dig through her closet.

"There is no deal," Holly insisted, earning an un-ladylike snort from Santana.

"You like him, admit it," she said.

"I barely know him. Today was the longest conversation we've ever had."

"I think he likes you," Kurt added.

"Yeah, he likes to tease me."

"I'm not denying that," Rachel agreed, "but I still think there's something more there."

"You keep thinking that," Holly told her, earning a scowl in return. "Stop scowling at me, cousin."

Kurt and Santana laughed at the surprised look on Rachel's face.

"Are you sure you two aren't sisters?" Kurt asked

"Maybe in another life," Holly answered with a grin for her cousin before walking into the bathroom to change into the top she'd found.

As soon as Holly shut the door, Rachel turned to her friends. "Tell me I'm not crazy," she said with a sigh.

"You are just a little, but it's endearing," Kurt responded.

"You mean about Dominic and Holly?" Santana asked.

Rachel nodded. "Jesse said that Dominic basically admitted to already being half in-love with Holly. As much as she tries to deny it, I know she feels  _something_  for him, too."

"Didn't Jesse also tell you to let  _them_  work it out?" Kurt wondered.

"Yes, but they're driving me crazy."

"You just have to be more subtle about it," Santana put in. "I'm pretty sure  _some_  kind of breakthrough happened on the trip here, some kind of truce or something, but I don't think it's temporary. Get them to spend more time together; it'll happen sooner rather than later."

"I have an idea," Rachel said, grabbing her phone to text Jesse.

"Uh-oh," Kurt and Santana chorused just as Holly opened the door.

"Do I  _want_  to know?" Holly asked with a sigh.

"Probably not," Kurt answered.

"I figured as much."

* * *

"Rach thinks it would seem less conspicuous if we split into groups and sat throughout the auditorium, including driving separately to McKinley," Jesse said once he read his girlfriend's message.

"Makes sense," Blaine agreed.

"Did she actually say whatever word you just used?" Puck wondered.

Jesse chuckled. "She did, actually."

"I'll never understand what it is about you two and using big words."

"I can't speak for Rachel, but Jesse's always been that way," Dominic told him.

"Berry has too. It's no wonder they get along so well-they're the only two who can understand each other."

"I can understand him just fine," Blaine put in.

"You're his cousin, you don't count."

Dominic chuckled. "Holly was right when she said life would never be boring with all of you around."

Jesse grinned at his friend. "We keep life interesting, especially considering Puck and Santana usually always have an opinion about something, and aren't afraid to let it be known."

"I noticed."

* * *

Sitting next to Jesse, waiting for the performance to begin, Rachel tried to determine whether or not this particular choir would be much of a threat to Vocal Adrenaline or not.

"What are you so worried about?" Jesse asked her.

"My Mom always told me never to underestimate the so-called underdog. This choir is about as much of one as you can get."

Jesse thought for a moment before he spoke. "Well, just because they have enough members to compete doesn't mean they're going to be  _good_."

"They have only had a few weeks together as a team; where as the majority of our team has been together for years, or at the very least, months. So we have the advantage there."

"Vocal Adrenaline also has us, we're solid, we sound amazing together," Jesse added.

Rachel smiled and nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. "If nothing else, at least I got an opportunity to get some more things I want at my Mom's."

Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "And we got to sing some fabulous duets on the way here."

Rachel giggled. "That's very true," she said just before the overhead lights dimmed, signaling the start of the show.

* * *

"What's with the wheelchair gimmick?" Holly wondered as the group performed their first song,  _Proud Mary_.

"I'd guess because one of them actually  _is_  in a wheelchair and they didn't want to make him feel left out," Dominic answered.

"The girl is pretty good, so is the kid with the glasses, but that's about it. The rest of them are trying entirely too hard. Plus, I thought this was show choir-isn't there supposed to be actual  _dancing_  involved?"

Dominic bit back a laugh as he listened to Holly tear apart the team currently occupying the stage. "I'd hazard a guess that they're a bit more inclusive than Vocal Adrenaline."

"I think they should re-think their admission policy. I can understand wanting to give everyone the same opportunities, regardless of whether or not they have a disability, but this is ridiculous. The wheelchair is going to mess with the flow of the dance, which I have yet to see."

"Be patient."

"I don't do patient well."

"You don't say," Dominic responded, grin still in place even after another slap on his arm courtesy of Holly.

* * *

"It's Barbie and Ken," Santana muttered as she watched a blonde girl she recognized as being a Cheerio and a blonde-haired jock she didn't recognize begin to sing the group's second song,  _(I've Had) the Time of my Life._

Puck snickered. "I didn't know Quinn sang," he said.

"There's ulterior motive, trust me. She rarely does  _anything_  that doesn't benefit her in some way."

"Just pay attention, Satan. You know Berry is going to expect a full report on what we thought."

"She'll get a report, trust me," Santana told him, turning her attention back to the group on stage.

* * *

"What are  _you_  doing here, traitor?" Rachel heard a voice behind her ask as she and Jesse walked out of the auditorium together.

Turning to face the owner of the voice, Rachel just shook her head. "I'm not a traitor, Mercedes. I was never a part of New Directions. I left before the school year even started. I wasn't going to turn down an opportunity to go to school somewhere that doesn't make my life a living nightmare."

"You just couldn't accept the fact that I'm better than you."

"You're not," Jesse put in, adding himself to the conversation as he slid an arm around Rachel's waist.

"Who are you?" Mercedes demanded.

"Jesse St. James. Male lead of Vocal Adrenaline. Rachel's boyfriend."

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at him. "We're going to beat you-then you'll be sorry you spied on us," she told him.

Jesse simply raised an eyebrow at her. "Isn't that a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black? I know you and some of your teammates came to our Invitational. We're not spying, we're simply checking out the competition. All of the best show choirs do it. You have a few teams to beat before you even go up against us, and judging from your performances tonight, I have to say you have a lot of work to do if you want to get anywhere near the level Vocal Adrenaline is at."

"Well I didn't think your performance was all that great, either."

"Now I  _know_  you're lying. You're forgetting a detail. I know for a fact that your entire team, your choir director included, freaked out after our first performance."

"How would you know that? Have some spies in the audience?"

Rachel was about to respond when a new voice broke in. "You told me, Mercedes," Kurt said as he and Blaine walked up to the small group.

Mercedes glared at him. "Well, I didn't think you'd share that information with  _them_ ," she said angrily.

"There's no need for angry words," Blaine told her. "The singer on your first song was actually quite good, but the blonde girl needs to work on her projection."

"And you are?" Mercedes once again demanded.

"My name is Blaine. I'm Kurt's boyfriend and Jesse's best friend."

"We're still going to beat you. Once Mr. Schue gives me all of my deserved solos, I'll blow you all away with my voice," Mercedes said confidently.

"So maybe you should be practicing instead of standing here arguing with us," Jesse suggested.

"Hmph," was Mercedes' response as she turned and walked away.

Once Mercedes was out of ear-shot, Jesse turned to his girlfriend, concern for her written on his face.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked her.

"I'm fine," Rachel assured both boys. "Mercedes and I never really got along anyway. She mostly just tolerated me because of Kurt being my best friend. I'd like to find the rest of our group and get out of here, though. My Mom said she would meet us at my dads' in a little bit."

* * *

Walking out of the opposite doors as Rachel and Jesse, Holly saw the entire interaction with Mercedes. She was about to go give the girl a piece of her mind when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Leave them alone, Jesse's got everything under control," Dominic told her.

Holly scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't even know what she's saying, but I'm sure I wouldn't like it."

"I understand. I like Rachel, she's the best female lead we've ever had and she's a genuinely nice person. She's talented, she knows it, and she's not afraid to admit it. There aren't a lot of people outside of Vocal Adrenaline who don't have a problem with that."

"She was bullied here," Holly said quietly. "Just being here is stressing her out. I can tell."

"Bullied…like how?" Dominic wondered.

"Slushies to the face, constant teasing, and not the good-natured kind either. Kurt was, too. I think Rachel said he was thrown into a dumpster on a daily basis."

"Seriously? The principal allowed it?"

"From what I've heard from my uncles and my aunt, the principal here is pretty much the opposite of the one we have at Carmel."

Dominic shook his head. "Well, that just gives me another reason to be glad she transferred."

Holly nodded in agreement as she watched Mercedes walk away. "She's like the sister I never had," she said before walking towards her cousin.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Holly asked Rachel as she and Dominic joined the group.

"Aside from the fact that I don't like being back here, I'm fine," Rachel answered with a smile for her cousin.

"Are we waiting for your mom?" Dominic asked the younger girl.

Rachel shook her head. "No. She said she'd meet us at home later. I need to find Puck and Santana, but I really want to just leave."

"You go, we'll find them. Kurt will text you when we're all heading out," Blaine told her.

Anxious to leave, Rachel simply nodded and let Jesse lead her out of the building.

"Who are you texting?" Dominic asked Holly as he saw her take out her phone.

"My aunt," Holly answered. "We'll probably beat them back to my uncles' house; I don't want my aunt or uncles to worry. She'll make sure they get the message."

"Where's St. James taking Berry?" Puck asked as he and Santana walked up to the rest of the group.

"Far away from here," Kurt responded.

"Good."

"We might as well head back, one less thing for Rachel to worry about," Holly said before she began to walk towards the exit.

* * *

Once she had made sure that everyone else was settled, Holly walked outside onto the back porch and took a seat on the swing that she'd loved as a little girl, curling her legs beneath her as she looked up at the stars.

"Are you okay?" Dominic asked as he took the seat next to her.

Holly sighed. "Physically, I'm fine. I'm just worried about Rachel. It's been a long time since I've seen her so…not upset, but…uneasy, I guess."

"I'm sure Jesse is taking care of her. He always seems to know what she needs."

Holly smiled. "He does. I'm glad she found him. They're actually quite cute together."

Dominic chuckled. "They are, but it's still kind of creepy to witness them essentially read each other's minds."

This time it was Holly's turn to laugh. "I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. It's like all of the couples are on the same wavelength. I mean, I've seen my uncles exchange looks with each other and my aunt for years, but it's still a little unnerving."

"I've seen Rachel and Shelby do it, too."

"They've been able to do that since Rachel was little. I wish I had the same type of relationship with  _my_ mom."

"What do you mean?"

"You really don't want to know."

"Try me."

Holly studied the boy next to her for a moment before she took a deep breath and then began to talk. "My mom and I argue a lot, probably more than normal, pretty much we're the opposite of Rachel and Shelby. I don't _want_  to be jealous of Rachel-like I said, she's like the sister I never had-but I am. I want the type of mother-daughter relationship she and Shelby have, I want the type of relationship that she and Jesse have."

"Why do you argue so much?"

Holly shrugged. "My mom doesn't listen to me when I talk; at least that's how I feel. My dad seems to understand everything I say just fine, but my mom…it's like a brick wall. She didn't even have the courtesy to  _ask_  me if I wanted to transfer back to Carmel-she waited until I was already in the car on the way to school to tell me that she'd had me transferred back there so my aunt could keep eye on me. Thank God Shelby refused to that."

Before either teen could say anything else, they heard music from inside the house. "Rachel and Jesse must be back," Dominic commented.

Holly nodded. "I need to see for myself that she's okay now….but thanks for listening," she said before standing and walking back into the house.

Not really feeling like company at the moment, Dominic opted to stay outside and take advantage of the fresh air. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice when Santana made her way outside until she said something to him in Spanish.

" _Eres un idiota_."

"What?"

"You're an idiot," Santana translated.

"I'm well aware of that fact, thank you so much for rubbing it in," Dominic responded.

"Sarcasm will get you nowhere with me, pretty boy. Just ask her out already-I know you want to."

"She's not interested."

"And you know that…how?"

"I just do."

"You're both so  _obstinado_  it's insane. Get your ass in there and spend time with her. Make her want you just as much as you want her!"

Dominic shook his head, but did as Santana instructed anyway.

* * *

"Holly, I'm  _fine_ ," Rachel assured her cousin. "Stop using me as an excuse to avoid Dominic."

"I'm not avoiding him."

"Bullshit," came Puck's response a few seconds later.

"What are you so afraid of?" Blaine wondered.

"Getting hurt. Not being ready for the type of relationship I know we'd have. I could give you a list," Holly responded.

Blaine sent her a sympathetic look. "I understand. Before I met Kurt, I had pretty much resigned myself to being alone for a while. He and I started to hang out, we clicked, and the rest is history."

"The car ride this afternoon was the longest period of time we've ever spent together. How the hell am I already falling in love with him?"

"When it's right, it's right. The period of time doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is how you feel when you're with him," Rachel told her.

Holly sighed. "He makes me smile and laugh, he gets my sense of humor, I can talk to him about anything and he doesn't make me feel stupid."

"Take a chance with him, then," Kurt advised. "I promise it'll be worth it."

"I'll think about it."

* * *

"You look troubled," Jesse commented as his friend joined him at the nearby CD player.

"Trouble has a name-it's Holly Evans," Dominic answered.

Jesse chuckled. "You two seemed to be getting along pretty well today."

"We have been, it was actually nice to be able to have a conversation with her that didn't involve arguing."

"Ask her to dance."

"What?" Dominic asked, thrown off by his friend's suggestion.

"You're both dancers-ask her to dance," Jesse repeated as he placed the CD in the player and pressed play.

Dominic smiled a little as heard the song. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to Holly and held his hand out.

"Dance with me?" he asked.

Holly placed her hand in his and let him pull her up, following him onto the makeshift dance floor that was the Berry living room.

"I don't know how to do this," she said softly.

"Just listen to the rhythm and follow my lead," Dominic told her confidently.

Though she seemed skeptical at first, Holly did as Dominic had instructed.

* * *

Watching Holly and Dominic, Rachel turned to her boyfriend. "Thank you," she said.

"Anything for you," he told her honestly.

Rachel reached up to cup his cheek in her hand. "I know," she said with a soft smile.

" _Creo que voy a vomitar_ ," Santana said from nearby, making both Rachel and Jesse laugh.

"Please don't," Puck told her.

Rachel giggled as she leaned against Jesse and resumed watching her cousin and Dominic.

Seeing that Holly was beginning to hesitate continuing to dance with Dominic, Blaine took Kurt's hand and led him onto the makeshift dance floor.

"Let's dance," Rachel said, grabbing Jesse's hand.

"Did you interfere?" Puck asked his girlfriend.

"Not really," Santana answered. "I just basically told him to stop being so stubborn and do whatever it took to get her to like him as much as he likes her."

* * *

After a couple more dances, Holly walked into the kitchen to get some water and was only slightly surprised to see her aunt and uncles sitting there talking.

"Everything okay?" Shelby asked.

Holly nodded. "I just need some water."

"There are some bottles in the fridge, help yourself," Hiram told her.

"Thanks, Uncle Hiram," Holly said before she did as he suggested.

"Is Rachel okay? Your text made it seem like something happened," Leroy asked before Holly could leave the room.

"A girl from McKinley, Mercedes I think it was, approached her and said some hurtful things. I couldn't hear the conversation, Dominic wouldn't let me get close enough, but I've known Rachel long enough to be able to read her body language. I think she'd been expecting some kind of confrontation, but not like that. Jesse took care of everything, and Kurt and Blaine were there to support her as well. She seems fine now."

"We'd like to hear for ourselves what this girl said to our daughter."

"I'm sure Rachel will tell you, but she's having fun and not thinking about that girl anymore right now."

Hiram laid a gentle hand on his husband's arm. "Holly's right, Leroy. You know as well as I do that Rachel will tell us what happened. Tonight, we should let her enjoy her time with her friends."

"You should join us, Uncle Leroy," Holly suggested. "I'm sure Rachel would love a father-daughter dance. Then you can see for yourself that she's perfectly fine now."

Shelby laughed. "She has you figured out, Leroy, and she's not even your daughter."

"It has been a while since I've had a chance to dance with my daughter," Leroy agreed with a smile.

* * *

After a father-daughter dance with each of her fathers, and a duet at the piano with her mother, Rachel settled next to Jesse on the couch as they and their friends watched a musical. Looking around, she could see Puck and Santana plus Kurt and Blaine each sitting close to each other. When she didn't see Holly and Dominic, she was about to get up and look for them when she felt Jesse's arm tighten around her.

"They went outside, Dominic said he had something for Holly, they'll be fine," Jesse whispered reassuringly.

Rachel nodded before shifting slightly so she could get comfortable once more, smiling when she felt Jesse press a kiss to the top of her head.

"Love you," she whispered.

"Love you, too," he whispered back.

* * *

"Why do you keep dragging me away from the rest of the group?" Holly asked as she followed Dominic back out to his car.

"I'm not making you follow me. If you don't want to be out here with me, you can go back inside," Dominic replied.

"What's with you today? You've been acting different since our argument this morning before we left."

"Maybe I'm just tired of arguing."

Holly blinked in surprised a couple of times before she found her voice again. "Sorry," she said softly.

Dominic shrugged. "I get that you're a drama queen in your own right and that not everyone always gets along, but I just…"

"You just…what?"

"I just wish you'd give me a fair chance instead of writing me off as a jerk right away."

"I never thought you were a jerk. A pain, yes, but not a jerk. Besides, after yesterday, I couldn't still think that of you."

"You mean helping you?"

Holly nodded. "You didn't have to do that, and I know I kind of bolted out of there without saying thank you. I really did appreciate it, though. You even sort of helped me shock my mother into silence."

Dominic chuckled. "How did I do that?" he wondered.

"When I told her my homework was done, and that I had a ballet class, I could see the shock written all over her face. It was kind of nice, actually."

"Well, I'm glad I could help."

"You said you had something for me, what is it?" Holly asked, changing the subject.

Dominic held out a small, square box to her. "I saw this when I was at the mall with my sister last week. It made me think of you. I figured once we were on better terms, I could give it to you."

Speechless, Holly took the box from Dominic and opened it to reveal a silver chain with a ballet slippers charm hanging from it. Holding the necklace in her hand, she studied the charm "They're toe shoes," she whispered.

"Like I said, it made me think of you," Dominic repeated, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"It's very pretty, thank you," Holly said before she looked up at the boy in front of her. "Will you help me put it on?"

Dominic nodded, taking the necklace from her as she moved her hair so he could clasp it in the back. Once it was around her neck, Holly turned back around to face him.

"No one outside of my family has ever given me jewelry before," she confessed softly.

"I could take it back," Dominic offered with a grin.

Holly laughed. "Don't you dare!" she told him, slapping his arm once more.

Taking advantage of Holly being close to him, Dominic slid his arms around her waist to keep her there and earning another surprised look in return.

"What are you doing?" Holly asked.

"Holding you," Dominic replied simply.

"Why?"

"Because I want to."

"Why?"

"Because I like you, Holly. I want you to give me a chance."

"What kind of chance are we talking about?" Holly managed to get out.

"A chance at having what you told me earlier that you wanted," Dominic answered cryptically.

Holly thought for a moment before she raised surprised blue eyes to meet Dominic's hopeful green ones. "This isn't some kind of cruel joke, is it?" she asked.

Dominic shook his head. "I used your name, didn't I?"

Holly nodded. "Yes, but…we've only known each other a few weeks, most of which we spent arguing."

"Jesse and Rachel have both said they knew immediately after they met that they would play an important role in each other's lives. It only took them a couple of weeks to make things official. You've intrigued me from the start, Holly. I  _like_  the fact that you aren't afraid to fight me on things or let it be known that we have different opinions on something. I don't want a doormat."

"You're sure it's me you want?"

Dominic chuckled. "A _bsolument_ ," he whispered before lowering his head to capture her lips with his.

Sliding her arms around Dominic's neck, Holly returned the kiss, smiling into it when she felt him pull her closer.

* * *

**Translations:**

_¡Vámonos! = let's go!_

_Ennuyeux = boring_

_Intéressant = interesting_

_Destruyó = destroy/kill_

_Tourtereaux = lovebirds_

_Eres un idiota = you're an idiot_

_Obstinado = obstinate/stubborn_

_Creo que voy a vomitar = I think I'm going to puke/throw up_

_Absolument = absolutely/positive(ly)_


	27. Chapter 27

After returning from trip to Lima, Holly entered her house and immediately felt uneasy.

"Mom? Dad? Liam?" she called as she walked down the hall.

"Holly?" came her mother's voice from the living room.

Holly turned into the room and found her mother curled up on the couch, a book in her hands.

"Where are Dad and Liam?" Holly wondered.

"I honestly don't know-I just found a note when I woke up this morning that said they were having a boys' day and to enjoy my day," Sara answered. "Why don't you take a seat and tell me how the trip went."

"I'm still surprised you let me go," Holly said as her mother had suggested.

"I'd been thinking about what you said…about Rachel's group of friends accepting you for exactly who you are, no questions asked, and how you said I don't listen to you. I wanted to show you that I  _am_  trying to be better."

"I shouldn't have said that to you-I was just angry…"

Sara smiled sympathetically at her daughter. "I understand. Shortly after our little argument, I spoke to Shelby, and was reminded that I said the exact same thing to your grandmother when I was your age."

"You did? What did Grandma do?" Holly asked, clearly surprised.

"Washed my mouth out with soap," Sara answered.

"Well, thank you for not doing that to me."

Sara smiled a little. "You're welcome," she said before noticing the new piece of jewelry Holly wore. "That's a pretty necklace."

"Dominic gave it to me last night-he said it made him think of me," Holly responded, her hand immediately going to the charm on the necklace.

"Are those ballet slippers?" Sara wondered, leaning closer to her daughter to get a good look at the necklace.

Holly nodded. "Toe shoes to be exact."

"Speaking of toe shoes…" Sara started before she reached around her side of the couch and produced a rectangular box, handing it to her daughter.

Holly opened the box to reveal a new pair of toe shoes, this pair real and not just a charm on a necklace. "When did you get these?" Holly asked her mother as she inspected them.

"Yesterday after I spoke to Rachel. I asked her for a suggestion for a peace offering and she informed me that the toe shoes you currently have are rather worn out. After confirming with Shelby that you were doing well in the class, I went to a specialty shop in Akron and got these for you."

"Why would you need to confirm I was doing well in the class in order to get these for me?" Holly asked, a bit hurt.

"They're very good quality, which means they were quite expensive. I wanted to make sure you would use them before I bought them. I called Liam's football coach before buying him new gear, so I'm not trying to make it seem like I'm singling you out."

Holly nodded, understanding her mother's point. "Thank you," she said softly.

Sara smiled at her daughter. "You're welcome. Now, if it's not too much to ask, I'd like to know more about this Dominic boy."

"He's a senior at Carmel, he's in Vocal Adrenaline with Rachel and Jesse, and he's actually known Jesse since they were kids. He and Santana spar with each other, but I think they get a kick out of it for whatever reason."

"Which one is Santana?" Sara asked, still unfamiliar with her niece's group of friends.

"She's the Latina, and they met through Rachel's childhood friend, who's also Santana's boyfriend, Puck."

"Puck?"

Holly laughed at her mother's questioning tone. "Yes. Puck. His name is Noah Puckerman, but only Rachel and a few select others are allowed to get away with calling him Noah. Santana often calls him Rachel's  _hermano mayor_. Her big brother. Liam would probably get along well with him, since they're both into football. "

"I know who Jesse is, and Blaine as well, but Blaine's boyfriend I'm not familiar with."

"His name is Kurt, he's Rachel's best friend. He loves fashion and the arts. He lives with his aunt, who's actually a teacher at Carmel."

"Where are his parents?"

Holly thought for a moment before she answered. "If I remember correctly, his mom died when he was little and his dad still lives in Lima. He runs a tire shop there. He hasn't quite decided if moving to Akron is for him not, but he wasn't going to let that stop his son from attending a school that encourages and nurtures his talent."

Sara nodded. "That reason is part of why I made the transfer decision for you. Believe it not, I could see how much you missed dancing. I didn't expect Shelby to get you into a dance class, although now that I think about it, it's not all that surprising."

Holly giggled. "Aunt Shelby basically told me the same thing. She also encouraged me to get to know Dominic better. Everyone wants me to join Vocal Adrenaline."

"Do you want to?"

"Yes. I just don't know if I can handle the workload. Although Dominic  _did_  promise to continue helping me with chemistry, so I guess it's a bit more of a possibility now."

"How did that agreement come about anyway?"

Holly smiled. "I yelled at my chemistry book in French and threw down my pencil. Dominic asked me what the poor chemistry book ever did to me."

Sara smiled. "Existed."

"Exactly what I said."

"I hated chemistry, too," Sara revealed.

"Really? You're a nurse practitioner, how is it that possible?"

Sara laughed. "Just because I learned to understand it didn't mean I always liked it."

"I don't know if I'll even need the class, but you and Dad are always saying how important it is to have a backup in case my first choice doesn't work out…" Holly started.

Sara studied her daughter. "You want to be a dancer?" she asked.

Holly shrugged. "I'm not really sure yet. I'd like to do something in dance, ideally, but if something happens and I  _can't_  do that, I think I'd like to be a nurse."

"Really?" Sara asked, failing to hide her surprise.

Holly nodded. "I know I probably don't seem like the type to want to do something like that, but I think I could be good at it."

Sara reached over to run her hand over her daughter's hair. "You can do anything you want to, honey. Your dad and I will support you in whatever you decide you want to do, so long as it's not harmful to you."

"What if I told you I think I'm going to end up marrying Dominic someday?"

Sara blinked in surprise. "You're going to have to backtrack a little. How did we get from talking about a future career to a future husband?"

"I don't know," Holly said as she stood and began to pace. "It's just…he makes me feel things I've never felt before, and I'm always hearing Rachel talk about how Jesse is her soul mate. Aunt Shelby told me I should get to know Dominic, and I learned a lot about him in the last couple of days. He gets why I love to dance and why I've not only been looking at dance schools, but nursing ones as well."

"You've been looking at colleges?"

"Mom, focus!"

"Sorry," Sara apologized as she stood, walking over to her daughter and placing her hands on her shoulders to get her to stop pacing. "You just surprised me."

"I'm scared, Mom," Holly confessed.

"Scared of what, honey?" Sara asked.

"Scared of what he makes me feel, what it could mean. Rachel's always been the one who was into the whole soul mates/destined/meant to be thing. When she realized that Jesse was her soul mate, she just accepted it as fact and now she and Jesse are happy as can be."

Sara hugged her daughter. "I don't know Dominic, so I can't really say much as far as he's concerned, but I do think the fact that he understands you speaks volumes. He's never tried to change you, has he?"

Holly shook her head. "No. Last night he told me that he likes the fact that I'm not afraid to have my own opinion about something and let that be known."

Sara smiled. "Then I think you have your answer. Just because you have strong feelings for Dominic doesn't mean things need to get as serious as fast as they did with Rachel and Jesse."

Holly leaned back to look at her mother. "Thanks for listening," she said softly.

"I'm trying to work on that," Sara promised as Holly stepped out of her embrace and bent to pick up the box containing the toe shoes. "I was actually hoping to talk you into watching a movie with me while your father and brother are out of the house."

Holly smiled. "Let me go put these upstairs, and then I'll be back. Will there be popcorn involved?"

Sara returned her daughter's smile. "Yes. I'll go start it," she said before watching her daughter leave the room and make her way upstairs.

* * *

"It feels good to be home," Rachel said as she dramatically sprawled out on her bed at her mother's house.

Jesse chuckled. "This is home now?" he teased.

Rachel nodded. "All three of my parents are here, you're here, our friends are here. It's home."

Jesse leaned over to brush his lips with Rachel's. "Gen said my grandmother wanted us over for dinner tonight, you up for it?"

Rachel smiled. "Sure. My daddy wanted me to invite her over for dinner here some night in the near future too."

"Well, it sounds like she's sticking around for a few weeks longer, so I'm sure that won't be a problem."

"Do you think she'd like one of our musical nights?"

Jesse shrugged. "She might. We could bring it up and see what she says, then take it from there."

Before either teen could say anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of Rachel's phone indicating she had a text message. Reaching for her phone, Rachel smiled as she read the text.

_Had a nice talk with my mom, told her about Dominic, got a new pair of toe shoes. Off to watch a movie. Thanks for the advice, cousin, you're the best._

"Everything okay?" Jesse asked.

Rachel nodded as she set her phone on her nightstand. "It sounds like Holly and my Aunt Sara talked, and things seem to be better now."

"Good, I'm glad. Speaking of mothers and daughters, I know your mom wanted to talk to you once you got settled."

"Trying to get rid of me already?" Rachel teased.

Jesse chuckled. "Never," he told her before giving her another kiss. "But I know you wanted to talk to Shelby, too."

Rachel smiled, rewarding Jesse's thoughtfulness with a kiss. "That's very true. Will you be here or in your room?"

"My room-I have a bit of homework to finish yet and that's where I have everything."

"What time are we supposed to be at your sister's?" Rachel wondered as they stood.

"I'd guess around 5, but I'll text Gen and then let you know," Jesse answered before leaning down to kiss Rachel once more and then walking down the all towards his room.

Turning the opposite direction Jesse had gone; Rachel went in search of her mother.

* * *

Shelby had just been about to head downstairs to wait for her daughter when she heard a knock at the door and then saw Rachel peek her head in.

"Come in, baby," Shelby told her with a smile.

Rachel returned her mother's smile as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her before promptly making herself comfortable on the bed. "Jesse said you wanted see me," she said.

Shelby nodded as she took a seat next to her daughter on the bed. "I know you're probably tired of this by now, but I wanted to see for myself that you were okay. Yesterday didn't quite go as I'd had hoped."

Rachel sighed. "I'm better now that I'm back here and I know I'll be back at Carmel, back with Vocal Adrenaline, tomorrow. I didn't expect to be as…frazzled by everything as I was. I also didn't expect to have a run-in with Mercedes. I purposely made everyone split up so we wouldn't draw as much attention to ourselves."

Shelby smiled as she ran a hand over Rachel's hair. "I think that was a wise move, but unfortunately it didn't work very well. What happened with Mercedes? All I know is what Holly told me-that she said some things to upset you."

Rachel nodded. "She called me a traitor for starters, even though I was never part of this new group. She still thinks she's the most talented person ever and that once Mr. Schuester gives her all of the solos, the new team will beat Vocal Adrenaline."

Shelby rolled her eyes. "I haven't heard this girl sing, but if this Mr. Schuester knows what's good for his team, he won't let her attitude go to her head."

"I only had him for Spanish last year, and he wasn't even very good at that, so I doubt he's much better as a choir director."

"Well, it's a good thing you don't have to waste your talent with him, then," Shelby said, making Rachel grin.

"Speaking of talent, I think we convinced Holly to join Vocal Adrenaline."

"Really."

Rachel nodded. "Well, Dominic was a big part of that, but I got the feeling that she wanted to, she just wasn't sure how it would affect her schedule."

"I'm sure either Emma or I could help her work something out if it's what she really wants to do. Speaking of Dominic, what happened there? Last I hear, she was still annoyed by him."

Rachel smiled. "He's the one who convinced her to join us on our trip, though I was the one to convince Aunt Sara that she would be fine and it would be good to let her go. I don't know exactly what happened on the way to Lima, but they must have come up with some kind of truce or something. When Jesse and I found the rest of our group lounging in the living room, they were sitting close to each other. I know they talked outside for a little while before Jesse and I got back last night, and Santana said something to Dominic before they re-joined the rest of the group. He came in, asked her to dance and she accepted. Then just before we started the musical, he told her he had something for her, which I'm going to guess is the necklace she was wearing when they came back in. I don't know what they said to each other outside, but they both seemed pretty happy when they re-joined the rest of us."

"I didn't know Santana was into matchmaking," Shelby teased her daughter.

Rachel laughed. "I didn't either. She and Dominic like to playfully spar with each other for whatever reason-I think she genuinely thinks of him as a kind of brother, like Noah is to me, and wants to see him happy. She caught on quickly that he liked Holly and encouraged him to go after her."

"Oh, I noticed that particular habit. Once I figured out they were just playing around, I wasn't too concerned. Santana and Sasha on the other hand…those two I finally just put on opposite sides of the stage," Shelby revealed.

"Santana doesn't like Sasha…and Sasha doesn't like Holly."

"I doubt Holly would be overly fond of Sasha herself."

"It's not that I don't trust your judgment, but why is Sasha still on the team if she's such a problem?"

"She still genuinely wants to be there, which is important. She's just one of those people who have a difficult time dealing with people who are different from them. I consider it a sort of life lesson for her. I don't want to see any of my students fail, and if she doesn't learn to get along with people, she's going to end up doing just that."

"Since Holly doesn't want any solos, are you still going to make her sing in her audition?" Rachel asked, steering the subject back to happier things.

Shelby nodded. "It keeps things fair for everyone. I've been thinking about how we can continue to differentiate ourselves from our competition, to keep them guessing, and I'm seriously considering having a number in each competition that's more vocalist oriented and one that's more dancer oriented, but I haven't made a final decision yet."

"You want to include Dominic, but he doesn't have a partner, which would kind of throw things off, since most of the stuff we do  _does_  involve a partner."

Shelby nodded again. "Yes. Nicole assured me that Holly and Dominic dance wonderfully together, and after witnessing them dancing together last night, I'm inclined to agree. It makes sense to pair them up, since they're already used to working together."

"And since she'd have to learn the routines in a lot shorter time than everyone else, it would be to her advantage to have a dance partner she's already used to dancing with," Rachel agreed.

"I'd really like for her to be on the team, but as I told your Aunt Sara, I won't force her to join."

"Now that she and Dominic are together, I think it's only a matter of time. She's been considering it since she transferred, and I know she and Blaine have talked about it a few times as well. Plus, now that she's been at Carmel for a few weeks, she's kind of settled in. I told her I'd love to have her on the team, and I doubt she'd have tagged along to rehearsal on Friday if she hadn't been interested in joining."

"We'll have to see how everything plays out. I mostly just wanted to see for myself that you were okay."

Rachel hugged her mother. "I'm fine, Mom. I know you and my dads worry about me, it seems like everyone was yesterday, but I'm a lot better now that I'm back here. This is home now."

Shelby smiled. "It makes me happy to hear you say that."

After hugging her mother once more, Rachel went in search of her boyfriend.

* * *

"So, were you able to find anything out about how Martin managed to reverse the trust he'd set up for Jesse?" Hiram asked his husband.

"I'm working on it," Leroy answered. "All I've got so far is that he added some kind of contingency a few years ago, I just don't know what that is."

Hiram frowned. "I'd hate to see him lose his chance at a prestigious school because of his father's selfishness."

"I wouldn't worry too much. Genevieve said that their grandmother already said she would help Jesse out in any way she could, which includes paying for college."

"Does Jesse know any of this yet?"

Leroy shook his head. "Genevieve didn't want to worry him. She plans on telling him everything once we get things figured out."

"He isn't going to like that she kept it from him."

"I told her that, and she said he can take it up with her."

Hiram chuckled. "Is she sure that's a good idea?"

This time it was Leroy's turn to laugh. "I'm not sure, but I'm not too concerned. Jesse loves his sister and knows that she only wants what's best for him."

* * *

"I want you to show you something," Sara said as the movie she and Holly had been watching ended.

"Okay…" Holly said, unsure what else to say without upsetting her mother.

Sara made a motion for Holly to follow her as she walked down to the basement. Once they were there, Holly watched as her mother opened a small chest she had forgotten about and pulled out a large photo album. Once she was able to quickly find the picture she desired, Sara turned the book to face her daughter.

"You were a dancer?" Holly asked, not quite sure she should believe her eyes. The picture was of her mother when she was her age, wearing a black leotard and ballet skirt, sheer tights, and pink shoes.

"I was," Sara answered. "My favorite was ballroom dancing, not ballet like you, though. My dance instructor insisted I take ballet to work on my balance and core strength. I met your father at a dance contest in college."

"Why did you keep this from me?" Holly queried, sounding hurt.

Sara sighed. "I didn't think you'd care."

"Well you thought wrong," Holly snapped before turning and quickly making her way back upstairs, the photo album still in her arms.

Sara ran her hands through her hair in frustration. Things had been going well, or so she'd thought. She was still trying to figure her daughter out. Shelby had said the girl was a lot more like her than she thought. Knowing that trying to get Holly to talk to her right now would be useless, she re-latched the trunk and made her way back upstairs, silently hoping either Rachel or Dominic could help Holly understand.

* * *

Rachel had just made herself comfortable on Jesse's bed and was about to begin reading the magazine she'd gotten earlier when she heard it ring. Seeing who the caller was, Rachel immediately picked up.

"Holly? What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up on the bed.

"Did you know my mom was a dancer?"

"There's a picture here of her and my mom from some kind of dance competition, but I didn't know your mom was the one competing."

"She just revealed that particular fact to me a few minutes ago. She buttered me up with new toe shoes and a movie, and then decided to reveal her secret!"

Rachel sighed and caught her boyfriend trying to stifle a laugh. "Holly, calm down. Did your mom say  _why_  she didn't tell you before now?"

"She said she didn't think I'd care. What could possibly make her think that?!"

"Up until a few weeks ago, I'd have to say I would have agreed with your mom."

"I always thought she and I didn't have much in common," Holly admitted softly.

"According to my mom, you two have more in common than you think. Why don't you go see Dominic or something, get out of the house for a while?"

"I don't know where he lives."

"Hang on," Rachel said to her cousin before reaching for Jesse's phone so she could give Holly the address.

"I owe you. You're the best," Holly said as soon as Rachel gave her the address and before she promptly hung up the phone.

Rachel fell back onto the bed with a dramatic sigh, earning a chuckle from Jesse. Momentarily abandoning his homework, he walked over to the bed and lay down beside his girlfriend.

"You wanted to be close to her," Jesse teasingly reminded her.

"And people think  _I'm_  a drama queen. I think she's got me beat."

"Ah, but you're not just  _any_  drama queen, you're  _my_ drama queen."

Rachel giggled. "That's very true, but still. She's something else."

Jesse chuckled again. "But she's your cousin and you love her anyway. You want to see her and your aunt have a better relationship, and you want to see her happy."

"Again, that's very true, but I'm still confused as to why she's suddenly acting like we're best friends. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed getting to know her again, but I'm confused."

Jesse played with Rachel's hair as he spoke. "Probably because you, my love,  _are_  her best friend. I got the impression that the so-called friends she had at Kennedy only really liked her for what she could give them and they tried to change her into someone she wasn't. I don't think she's talked to any of them since transferring and joining our group. You can have more than one best friend, you know, it's not a crime. You and Holly have a different bond than you and Kurt, or you and I, do."

Rachel considered her boyfriend's words carefully before she spoke again. "Dominic won't be mad we gave Holly his address?"

"Doubtful," Jesse answered before leaning down to kiss Rachel quickly and then walking back over to his desk to finish his homework.

* * *

Dominic had just finished the reading for his English class when he heard a knock at his door and then saw his step-mother poke her head in.

"You have a visitor," she said with a smile. Seeing her step-son's confused look, Penelope clarified. "A girl with a certain necklace on. She's in the foyer waiting for you."

"Thanks, Nell," Dominic said with a smile before he quickly made his way downstairs.

"Rachel and Jesse gave me your address," Holly said quickly once she saw Dominic's confused look. "I needed to get out of the house, and…"

Dominic cut her off with a quick kiss. "It's fine. I'm just surprised; I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow at school. Everything okay at home?"

"Yes and no," Holly answered with a shrug.

"Come on, drama queen," Dominic said, taking Holly's hand and leading her back upstairs to his room.

Once Dominic had shut the door, Holly took a seat in a nearby chair and began to talk. "My mom and I had a long talk when I got home; she bought me new toe shoes and actually seemed to be listening to what I had to say. She asked me to watch a movie with her, and I thought things were going well, so I agreed. After the movie, my mom said she had something she wanted to show me. She dug out this old photo album and showed me this picture."

Dominic studied the picture Holly held out to him. "Your mom?" he asked.

Holly nodded. "I was hurt that she kept it from me for so long, and when I asked her why, I hated myself for what she told me was the reason."

"Which was?" Dominic prompted.

"She told me she didn't tell me because she didn't think I'd care," Holly revealed softly, tears pooling in her eyes. "I called Rachel…and she said that up until a few weeks ago, she'd have been inclined to agree with my mom."

"I didn't know you before you transferred, so I can't really speak on what you were like, but obviously somewhere along the line there was some kind of breakdown in communication between you two. It sounds to me like you made progress today, though."

Holly shrugged. "I thought so, too, but I'm not sure if I'm more hurt by the fact that my mom kept this from me or if I'm more mad at myself for hurting my mom by making her think I didn't care."

Unable to think of anything else to say, Dominic simply pulled Holly into his arms and hugged her tightly, smiling a little to himself when he felt her wrap her arms around his waist in return.

"I wish I could help you, Holl, but I'm not quite sure how," he revealed.

"I think I just need to think about what I want to do with the information; I just don't feel like I can do that right now," Holly answered before changing the subject. "Was that your step-mom who let me in?"

Dominic nodded. "Her name is Penelope, but she prefers to go by Nell. At least, that's what I've called her since I was little."

"The first thing she said to me was 'you must be Holly' and she had a bright smile on her face."

"She recognized the necklace. She was with my sister and me when I bought it."

Holly pulled away slightly so she could reach up and run her fingers over the charm on said necklace, an action that made Dominic smile.

"What did your mom say about the necklace?" he asked.

"She said it was pretty and asked where I got it."

"So you told her about us."

Holly nodded. "I know we only just officially got together or whatever, but she didn't seem surprised."

"I was just about to go grab something to eat; do you want to go anywhere in particular?" Dominic asked, changing the subject and reluctantly letting his girlfriend go so he could find his keys.

"Rachel keeps saying I should try the food at Cravings, though I think she mainly likes it for the different vegan options they have."

"They do have good food there, I've even had some of the vegan stuff-Nell is a vegan, too, so she frequents that place a lot."

"Once my Uncle Hiram opens up his restaurant, I think Cravings is going to have serious competition."

"Rachel's dad is opening a restaurant?"

"Daddy, technically, but yes. Rachel has no clue; it's a surprise for her birthday." At Dominic's confused look, Holly laughed. "My Uncle Hiram is Daddy to Rachel, where as my Uncle Leroy is Dad."

Dominic nodded in understanding before reaching for Holly's hand. "Come on, drama queen, I can hear your stomach grumbling all the way over here."

Holly scowled at her boyfriend, which only made him laugh. "Shouldn't you be nicer to me now that we're together?"

"I am being nicer," Dominic answered. "I'm not calling you 'new girl' anymore."

"I didn't know 'drama queen' was a term of endearment," Holly countered.

Dominic flashed her a grin as he led her outside to his car. "It is now."

"Can I drive?" Holly asked, ignoring Dominic's response.

"Are we talking about your car or mine?"

"Yours."

"No."

"Please?"

"No. Now get in or you don't get fed," Dominic told her, doing his best to hold back his laughter.

"This place better be as good as everyone says it is," Holly grumbled good-naturedly as she did as Dominic instructed.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** The song Holly auditions with is "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston (the upbeat version. The slow one is pretty, but I've always liked the upbeat one better and it fits the situation better).

As I've said before, I know pretty much no French so I apologize if my translation is incorrect. What I meant to say will always be revealed at the bottom.

* * *

"Why did you have to call Rachel's father for the recipe for this dinner?" Jacqueline asked her granddaughter as they set the table.

"Rachel is a vegan," Genevieve explained. "And also because I enjoyed this so much when Hiram made it, I wanted to see if I could do the same myself. Jesse likes to say that Hiram has been giving me cooking lessons."

Jacqueline laughed. "That sounds like your brother. You've always been interested in it, though. I was kind of surprised you didn't become a chef instead of an interior designer."

Genevieve smiled. "Cooking school was my second choice, but I really enjoy designing…and this way I get to work with Joel on some projects."

"Speaking of your adorable fiancé, where is he tonight?"

"He had to go to Florida to meet with a client, he wasn't happy about it, but this guy is paying him a lot of money, so he went."

"Wouldn't his profession require a lot of travel?" Jacqueline asked.

Genevieve was about to answer when she heard the door open and the sound of two excited voices. "Jesse and Rachel are here," she said with a smile.

Jacqueline followed her granddaughter to the living room, where Jesse and Rachel now stood.

"Hi, Grandma," Jesse greeted with a hug for his grandmother.

"Thank you both for indulging me, since I know this is short notice and you both have school in the morning," Jacqueline started.

"It's not like we had to go very far," Rachel said with a smile. "Besides, my daddy wanted me to ask you if you would like to come over for dinner at our house sometime."

"I'd be delighted," Jacqueline answered, returning the younger girl's smile. "My granddaughter was telling me that all three of your parents sing as well."

Rachel nodded. "My dads do it pretty much just for fun, but they both enjoy musical theater too. My mom is the choir director at Carmel and the coach of Vocal Adrenaline so she's a bit more serious about it."

"Is that how you met Jesse? Through Vocal Adrenaline?" Jacqueline wondered as the foursome made their way into the kitchen.

Rachel shared a smile with her boyfriend before she answered his grandmother's question. "No. My mom introduced us by accident, actually."

"What do you mean, by accident?"

"I went over to Shelby's to get some music she'd picked up for me. She was on the phone when I got there and so she sent me to the music room, not realizing Rachel was already awake and in the room looking for a musical to watch. Rachel recognized me from the pictures of Vocal Adrenaline she'd seen and I'd heard Shelby talk about Rachel for years as well as seen pictures around Shelby's house. She's far more beautiful in person."

Rachel blushed, making Genevieve and Jacqueline smile and Jesse grin. "Did you like each other right away?" Jacqueline queried.

Rachel nodded. "I knew before I met him that he would play an important part in my life. By the end of the first day, that feeling only intensified."

"I told you they met cute," Genevieve told her grandmother as she set a couple of dishes of food on the table.

"It sounds like I was just a few weeks too late to see your Invitational and your next performance isn't for a couple of months yet," Jacqueline continued.

"I know my dads have a copy of the show around somewhere, I could ask them if you could borrow it," Rachel volunteered.

"You want to see the performances?" Jesse asked, unsure he was hearing his grandmother correctly.

"Of course I do," Jacqueline insisted. "Unlike your parents, I can clearly see how important it is to you. As long as you're happy, that's all I care about. Clearly, the young lady sitting next to you does that, and so does performing."

"I'm going to marry her someday," Jesse said confidently.

Jacqueline smiled. "I should hope so. It would be very unwise to let this one go."

Rachel giggled as Jesse was once again shocked into silence.

"I think this is quietest he's been in years," Genevieve teased, earning a playful glare from Jesse and laughter from Rachel and Jacqueline in return.

* * *

"I don't want to go home," Holly said softly as she and Dominic stood outside of her car.

Dominic pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You have to talk to your mom, Holl. You can't avoid her forever."

"Want to bet?"

"Holly."

Holly sighed. "Sorry. I  _know_  I need to talk to her; I just don't have a clue what I'm going to say. I've never been able to talk to her the way I can talk to my dad."

"You said that Rachel and Shelby have both told you that you two have more in common than you think. Find out what those things are and go from there."

"I wish you could be there with me."

Dominic chuckled. "This from the girl who stormed away from me the first day we met."

Holly grinned up at him. "You got me in trouble with Madame Nicole on my first day!" she exclaimed with a laugh.

Dominic returned her grin. "You got yourself in trouble."

"Whatever, I did not."

"So, have you thought more about joining Vocal Adrenaline?" Dominic asked.

"What is it with everyone asking me about that? I don't know if I can handle it. I just got my grades up; I don't want to jinx it by taking on more than I can handle."

"Shelby's more flexible than she lets on, and as her niece, you should know this. She genuinely wants us all to succeed, both as a team and individuals. She always tells us to come to her if we feel overwhelmed. I've had to ask her for extra study time myself a number of times over the years."

"Why do you want me to join so badly?" Holly asked.

"I'm not the only one who wants you to join," Dominic started, only to be cut off by Holly shaking her head.

"I didn't ask about everyone else. I know why my cousin and my aunt want me to join; I want to know why  _you_  want me to join."

Dominic studied his girlfriend for a moment before he answered. "I know how much you love to dance, I understand that, and I think you would benefit from being around others who enjoy it too. I know you have Rachel and the rest of the group we're apparently a part of now, but it's not quite the same. I also enjoy dancing with you, and I'd love to get the chance to do that more often. It would also mean I'd get to spend more time with you, which I'm not going to pass up the chance to do."

Holly smiled. "I didn't know you liked me that much," she said softly.

Dominic winked at her. "Well, now you know my secret."

Holly laughed. "I'll know all of your secrets pretty soon, you just wait," she teased.

"I'm sure you will," Dominic responded before leaning down to capture Holly's lips with his.

* * *

Still in a good mood from her time with Dominic, and wanting to clear things up with her mother sooner rather than later, Holly went in search of her mother as soon as she got home.

"Mom?" Holly called as she knocked on her parents' bedroom door.

"Holly?" Sara asked as she opened the door.

"I'm sorry for earlier; can we talk?"

Sara stepped back, allowing her daughter to enter before she shut the door again.

"I'm sorry, too," Sara began as she and Holly made themselves comfortable on the bed.

"Why did you keep the fact that you were a dancer from me? I've loved to dance for as long as I can remember, I've even seen pictures of myself in a tutu when I was like three."

Sara smiled at the memory. "You insisted on being a ballerina for Halloween, even though it was freezing outside. Nothing your father or I could say would convince you to be something else."

"So I was pretty much stubborn from the start."

"You come by it naturally."

"So I've heard. Both Aunt Shelby and Rachel have said that we have more in common than we think…"

Sara nodded in agreement. "They've told me the same thing. I really am sorry I kept my dancing from you, it was never my intention to do so."

"Then why did you?" Holly wondered.

Sara sighed. "By the time I thought about telling you, you were already to the point where you were starting to say that you hated dance and you hated me for making you go. I was never as good at it as you are, at least not ballet. We were already struggling to find things in common with each other; I didn't want you to think I forced you into dance because I was trying to live vicariously through you."

"Which is the conclusion I probably would have reached at the time," Holly conceded.

"It broke my heart that you hated to dance, that you felt like I was making you do it. At first, I figured you'd thank me later, but once you started skipping class altogether, I stopped trying. I wasn't going to pay money for something you weren't going to attend."

Holly looked down, feeling ashamed for the way she'd acted the last few years. "I'm sorry, Mom," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry, too, honey. Maybe if I had shared my love of dance with you earlier, things would have been different. I am happy to see you dancing again, though."

"I never meant to hurt you; I was just angry and confused."

Sara smiled as she ran a hand over Holly's hair. "I understand, honey, trust me, I do. I went through the same thing, just ask your Aunt Shelby. She loves to remind me of that fact. I didn't have the same passion for dance that you do, but I did enjoy it. I still do, when I get the chance to do it."

"You said you met Dad at a dance competition in college," Holly reminded her mother.

"I did. He was good friends with my dance partner and came to support him. Oliver introduced us and we hit it off right away. We started to hang out more, even after I stopped dancing to concentrate on nursing school."

"Do you regret quitting?"

"Dancing?" At Holly's nod, Sara continued. "I don't know if regret is the right word. Like I said, I didn't have the same passion for it that you do, but I enjoyed it. I missed it at times, it was a good stress reliever, but I also really wanted to be a nurse and I knew that, realistically, I couldn't do both. I had to make a choice. It was a difficult one, but I had to make it."

"I regret it," Holly admitted.

"Shelby says you pretty much started where you left off, though, and that you've been catching on quickly. I wouldn't have even thought about buying you those shoes if I didn't think you'd use them."

"I guess I did, and I have been, but part of me still wishes I hadn't started cutting classes and then quit altogether."

"If you'd kept up with it, you might not have met your Dominic," Sara reminded her daughter with a smile.

Holly smiled as she thought of her boyfriend. "That's true. Still, though, I feel like I was a big screw up and I unnecessarily stressed you and Dad out."

"You're a teenager, honey; it's just part of growing up. I regret taking you out of Carmel and putting you in Kennedy, but there's not much I can do about it now. I tried to right that wrong by transferring you back to Carmel, but it doesn't make the mistake go away."

"I still wish you would have talked to me about it instead of just telling me. I'm seventeen years old; I'm old enough to think for myself."

"You've changed a lot in the last few weeks," Sara reminded her daughter. "I didn't think you'd willingly go back to Carmel."

"I didn't think it was an option."

Sara didn't bother to hide her surprise. "I guess this is what we get for not listening to each other sooner," she said with a sigh.

"Do you think I can handle my schoolwork and being in Vocal Adrenaline?" Holly asked.

"I think you can do anything you set your mind to," Sara answered.

"Mom, please. I need you to be honest with me, not tell me what you think I want to hear."

Sara studied her daughter for a minute before she spoke again. "Yes, I do. You've made a lot of positive changes over the last few weeks, you've learned to balance your schoolwork with the things you want to do. I know Dominic has already promised to help you, but I want to remind you that your Dad and I are here to help if you need us. I do have one condition to you joining, though."

"Which is?"

"Well, two, but they kind of go together. I want to meet Dominic, and the rest of the group you've been hanging out with. I only know about half of them, and while I trust my sister's judgment as far as the people she allows around her daughter, I need to see for myself that these people really do like you for who you are."

"You can't just believe me?"

"I  _do_  believe you," Sara assured her daughter, "but I still want to meet your new friends."

"Am I allowed to join Vocal Adrenaline before this happens?" Holly asked.

"I don't see why not. So long as you promise that you  _will_  invite them over."

"Fine, but I want to know more about your dancing."

"I suppose that's fair."

"You  _suppose_?"

Sara laughed. "Okay, fine, you have a deal. Now, do you mind telling me where exactly it is that you stormed off to?"

"Well, I called Rachel first. She just told me I was being a drama queen and I needed to calm down, but she suggested I go see Dominic or do something to get out of the house. When I told her I didn't know Dominic's address, she gave it to me. He was surprised to see me, but he seemed happy that I was there. I told him what had happened and we talked about it. I met his step-mom, too. She recognized me right away."

"How? Do we know her?" Sara asked.

Holly shook her head. "I guess she and Dominic's sister were with him when he bought the necklace. He must have told her about me because the first thing she did was smile at me and say 'you must be Holly'."

"The first thing your Grandmother Evans said to me was 'So you're Sara'"

"Sounds rather ominous," Holly said, though she was eager to know more.

Sara glanced at the clock before she turned back to her daughter. "I guess we have time for me to tell you the story of how that first meeting went."

Holly scooted closer to her mother as she listened to the story, eager to learn more about her mother.

* * *

When she walked into school the next morning, the first thing Rachel noticed was the way Holly and Dominic were standing with their arms around each other as they talked with the rest of the group.

"They're cute together," she said with a smile.

"Not as cute as us," Jesse countered with a smirk.

Rachel giggled and then tipped her face up for a kiss from her smirking boyfriend.

After granting his girlfriend's wish, Jesse led her over to her locker so she could get everything she needed for her morning classes.

"I still can't believe you told your grandmother that we're going to get married someday," Rachel mused aloud as she switched out her books.

Jesse shrugged as he leaned against a nearby locker and watched her. "It's the truth. She's always responded well to it. Plus, she seems to like you so I don't see what the big deal is."

Rachel shot her boyfriend a look. "You say that like marriage is no big deal."

Pushing away from the lockers, Jesse pulled Rachel into his arms and held her tightly. "Just because I know that marrying you is an inevitability doesn't mean I don't think it's a big deal. Part of the reason I freaked out so much when I realized how strongly I felt about you was because the idea of spending forever with someone wasn't something I had ever really thought about. Then I met you, and everything changed. You mean so much to me, Rach, you have to know that."

Rachel nodded. "I do know that, and you know I feel the same way. I just…I don't know, felt like it was kind of a flippant comment and that's just not the way I think about marriage."

"I'm sorry that I made it seem that way, that's not how I meant it at all. I was simply just trying to make my grandmother understand how serious I am about you. I can't imagine my future without you, Rachel. I don't even want to try. I'm more than willing to talk about this subject all you want, but considering we're at school right now, I think we should save it for a later time."

"Promise?" she asked.

"I promise. Are we okay?"

Rachel didn't bother to hide her confusion. "Why wouldn't we be? Just because I was confused about a comment you made doesn't mean I'm even considering breaking up with you. You're stuck with me."

Jesse chuckled and then bent his head to brush his lips with Rachel's. "Same goes for you, Miss Berry."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Rachel responded with a smile.

"Now I understand why Santana says you two make her want to throw up," Holly commented as she and the rest of the group joined Rachel and Jesse.

Rachel turned to grin at her cousin. "You're just jealous," she teased.

Holly returned her cousin's grin. "Whatever you say, cousin."

"Definitely sisters in another life," Kurt put in, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"Did you talk to your mom last night?" Rachel asked Holly.

Holly nodded. "I did. We're working on things."

"I hear I have you and Jesse to thank for her unexpected visit last night," Dominic added.

"We didn't think you'd mind," Rachel answered, unsure if the older boy was unhappy about it or not.

"I didn't," Dominic assured her. "The only thing bad it caused was my sister giving me a hard time because her mom got to meet Holly before she did."

" _Her_  mom?" Rachel asked.

"She's my half-sister technically," Dominic clarified.

Rachel nodded in understanding, but was stopped from saying anything else by Holly's announcement.

"My mom wants all of you to come over so she can meet those of you she hasn't met…and to see for herself that you aren't trying to change me."

"Does she have a certain day in mind?" Kurt asked.

"I honestly don't know. Probably this weekend after rehearsal or something," Holly answered.

"You're joining Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel and Dominic asked simultaneously.

"I have a couple of questions for my aunt first, but essentially, yes."

Rachel let out a squeal of excitement and hugged her cousin tightly. "You'll love it, I promise!"

"Rachel, I love you like a sister, but you need to let me breathe," Holly said with a laugh.

Jesse pulled his girlfriend back into his arms as she quickly apologized to her cousin. "Come on, Rach, we need to get going if you want me to walk you to class," he reluctantly told her.

Rachel nodded in understanding before turning back to her cousin. "I hope to see you later," she said with a smile before walking away with Jesse.

"I suppose we better get going, too," Blaine said with a sigh. "Our history test won't wait forever."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Holly replied, earning a chuckle from her boyfriend.

"Are my aunt's tests really that bad?" Kurt asked.

"Your aunt is awesome, but I hate tests in general."

"Good to know."

Holly tipped her face up to Dominic for a quick kiss before she slid her arm through Blaine's. "I guess I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be."

Blaine laughed. "I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"Come on, Satan, let's go before we're late to English," Puck said, grabbing Santana's hand and leading her down the hall.

"So, when are you going to tell her that you love her?" Kurt asked Dominic as they too began to walk towards their first classes.

"What?"

"It's written all over your face, you're just lucky Rachel was distracted by Holly's announcements."

"Have you told Blaine?" Dominic wondered.

Kurt nodded. "Yesterday," he said with a grin.

"I'm guessing it went well."

Kurt nodded again. "He loves me. I sort of feel like I don't deserve it, though."

"Because you were bullied for so long?"

"Who told you about that?"

"Holly. She was pretty bent out of shape about what that Mercedes girl said to Rachel on Saturday. She could tell it was stressing Rachel out to be back there, she was telling me how both you and Rachel were both bullied."

"Rachel mostly just got slushied. I got slushied and tossed into dumpsters. When my aunt offered to let me live with her so I could go to Carmel, where there seems to be zero tolerance for such things, my dad immediately agreed."

"I know we don't know each other very well, but you seem like a nice guy, Kurt. I'm glad you aren't being bullied anymore, and for what it's worth, I think you do deserve Blaine's love."

Kurt smiled at the older boy. "Thanks. I think you should tell Holly how you feel."

"We just got together a couple of days ago, isn't that moving a little fast?"

"As Rachel likes to say, when it's right, it's right, it doesn't matter how much time has passed," Kurt said before turning down another hallway towards his first period classroom.

Alone with his thoughts, Dominic contemplated Kurt's words.

* * *

Shelby was sitting in her office, going over her lesson plans for the week, when she heard a knock at her door. Looking up, she was surprised to find her niece standing there, looking nervous.

"Holly, is everything okay?" Shelby asked, immediately concerned.

"I'm just nervous," Holly admitted softly as she took a seat in the chair Shelby had just vacated.

"Nervous about what?"

"Auditioning for Vocal Adrenaline."

Shelby smiled. "So you've decided to join, then."

"I just wish I didn't have to sing. Singing in front of you or Rachel, even Jesse's grandmother, I'm fine, I just don't really like doing it in front of a bunch of people who are going to judge me on it."

"I can't bend the rules for you just because you're my niece."

"I understand. I'm just really nervous and kind of freaking out."

Shelby smiled sympathetically. "I can understand that. Have you been thinking about audition pieces?"

Holly shook her head. "I was hoping you could help me."

"Well, for starters, you don't have to just stand there and sing. You can dance, too, if that makes you feel better. Considering that's what you want to do, I'd highly suggest it in fact."

"Do I have to re-arrange my schedule to fit in your music class?"

"It's not a required course; I just highly suggest it to the members of my team, especially the ones like Rachel and Jesse who want to pursue music."

"I'd like to take it, though."

Shelby glanced at the clock. "I know Emma is still in her office, we could go talk to her and see what your options are."

"So this is possible?"

Shelby smiled at her niece. "It is. I'm sure the three of us can figure something out."

"You're the best, Aunt Shelby," Holly said as she followed her aunt out of the office.

* * *

"You're late, drama queen," Dominic said as Holly took a seat next to him in the library.

"I was with Aunt Shelby and Miss Pillsbury-Howell," Holly explained as she took out her chemistry book and notebook.

"You're changing your schedule?"

"Just re-arranging some things. Mrs. Nuemann was nice enough to let me take chemistry as an independent study, since I got an A on my test today. She said that as long as I keep my grades up, and take my tests on time, she's okay with the arrangement. It probably also helped that I mentioned you promised to help me and you were apparently a favorite student of hers."

Dominic grinned at her. "Glad I could help. I'm a bit confused as to why you'd want to re-arrange your schedule, though."

"I want to take my Aunt Shelby's music class," Holly admitted.

"You just wanted another class with me, admit it."

Holly giggled. "That's not why I did, but I won't argue with the benefit."

"Mrs. Nuemann gave you an assignment on top of having a test?" Dominic asked, nodding towards Holly's chemistry book.

Holly shook her head. "Not really. This is just a list of the assignments I need to complete before my next test. I have to keep up with the class, which means I need your help. I'll help you with your French assignment, and then we'll work on my chemistry one."

"Are you always this bossy?"

" _Je ne suis pas autoritaire, j'ai juste raison._ "

"Whatever you say, drama queen," Dominic said with a laugh before he began to explain his assignment to his girlfriend.

* * *

"I know you're probably all wondering why I have you seated in the auditorium and not standing here on stage," Shelby began as she stood alone on the stage at the beginning of rehearsal.

"We're not in trouble, are we?" Andrea asked.

"No, you're not in trouble. I'm actually quite pleased with the progress we've made on all of our material. I know some of you have already come to me with songs you'd like to perform at our holiday concert, but for those of you who haven't, please feel free to do so. I know we're a few months away from it, but the sooner we get everything put together, the better it will be. As for the reason you're not all on stage right now, that's because we have an audition today."

"Is it the girl who was here on Friday?" Giselle asked.

"Yes. My niece, Holly Evans. I believe some of you have a ballet class with her." Seeing several heads nod, Shelby waited a moment before she continued. "Just as with Rachel, I will not give her preferential treatment just because of who she is. That being said, I want you to give her your full attention since, just as we always do, we'll be making the decision on whether or not she gets in as a team."

"Is she going to sing  _and_  dance?" Nina wondered.

Shelby nodded. "Yes. Although she doesn't want solos the way Rachel, Santana, or Giselle do, in order to make this fair to everyone, she is required to do both. Are there any other questions?" After seeing that her team had no other questions, Shelby walked to her desk and sat down before calling Holly's name.

* * *

_I can do this. I am not afraid. It's just an audition; I'll have to get through a tougher one than this to get into college_.

With those thoughts in mind, Holly quickly made her way onto the stage, eager to get this audition over with. Taking a deep breath and hearing the cue from the music, she began to sing.

_There's a boy I know_  
He's the one I dream of  
Looks into my eyes  
Takes me to the clouds above  
Ooh, I lose control  
Can't seem to get enough  
When I wake from dreaming  
Tell me is it really love

Grabbing Jesse's hand, Rachel held it tightly as she watched her cousin up on the stage. If it hadn't been for the fact that she knew Jesse completely understood how she felt right now, she might have started to freak out more than she suspected Holly was doing inside. Glancing over at Dominic, she had to hide a smile when she saw he appeared to be nervous as well.

_How will I know?  
_ _ **(Don't trust your feelings)**_ _  
How will I know?  
How will I know?  
_ _ **(Love can be deceiving)**_ __  
How will I know?

Watching Holly begin to use the stage and begin to dance, Shelby couldn't help but smile. When she had suggested the song to her niece, Holly had seemed surprised, but seemed open to the idea. She knew the song and was comfortable enough with it to be able to add her own dance steps to it. It was playful and upbeat, just like the side of Holly she had been seeing more of lately.

_How will I know if he really loves me  
I say a prayer with every heart beat  
I fall in love whenever we meet  
I'm asking you what you know about these things  
How will I know if he's thinking of me  
I try to phone but I'm too shy  
_ _ **(Can't speak)**_ __  
Falling in love is all bitter sweet  
This love is strong why do I feel weak

Feeling more confident as the song progressed, Holly added more complicated dance steps, and still silently wishing she didn't have to be up on the stage alone. She was hoping that Dominic's prediction about her becoming his dance partner in Vocal Adrenaline would come true as well. She enjoyed dancing with him, enjoyed their good-natured banter. As she paid more attention to the lyrics of the song, she made a mental note to ask her aunt if she could read minds. Ever since she had admitted out loud to her mother that she might end up marrying Dominic someday, she'd begun to think about their future more and more. Even though they had just officially gotten together a couple of days ago, he'd held her interest from the start and she was pretty sure it was the same for him. She wasn't sure if interest always turned into intense like, and eventually love, but she was becoming more and more sure that that's what had happened with herself and Dominic.

_How will I know if he really loves me  
I say a prayer with every heart beat  
I fall in love whenever we meet  
I'm asking you what you know about these things  
How will I know if he's thinking of me  
I try to phone but I'm too shy  
_ _ **(Can't speak)**_ __  
Falling in love is all bitter sweet  
This love is strong why do I feel weak  
If he loves me, if he loves me not  
If he loves me, if he loves me not  
If he loves me, if he loves me not  
How will I know?

As she finished the song, Holly was surprised to find that she was being applauded, and not only by her cousin and their group of friends. Knowing how the audition process went, she quickly made her way off of the stage, stopping to mouth a thank you to her aunt, before walking out of the auditorium.

Once Holly had left the room, Shelby took her niece's place on the stage. "Well?" she asked her team expectantly.

"She's good," Giselle admitted. "Are you sure she just wants to dance?"

"I'm sure. I take it that's a yes, then."

Giselle nodded, along with the rest of the members of the team. Satisfied with the answer from her team, Shelby addressed her daughter next.

"Rachel, why don't you go get Holly?" she suggested.

Rachel grinned and nodded, practically running out into the nearby hallway.

* * *

Holly was about to stand up and begin to pace when she heard the auditorium doors open and saw her cousin's happy face.

"You're in!" Rachel exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

"Serious?" Holly asked, feeling a bit like she was in shock.

"Yes! You have to call your mom and tell her!"

"Your mom's okay with that?"

Rachel nodded. "She'll be fine with it. Just get your butt in there soon!"

Holly laughed, enjoying her cousin's enthusiasm. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes," she promised as she dialed her mother's number.

Rachel nodded, turning around to re-join the rest of the team while Holly waited for Sara to pick up.

"Holly?" Sara asked as she answered just before it went to voicemail.

"I got in," Holly said.

"Got in where?"

"I auditioned. I got in."

Sara was silent for a moment as her daughter's words registered. "Congratulations, honey," she said finally.

"I'll be home later than normal."

"I figured as much. Tell your aunt to call me when she has a chance, will you?"

"I will. Sorry to interrupt you at work."

"You're not interrupting. I was actually just coming back from grabbing something to eat. I'll be in my office for a while if you need anything."

"Okay, thanks. Bye, Mom. See you later," Holly said as she ended the call, pocketing her phone once more before making her way into the auditorium.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Je ne suis pas autoritaire, j'ai juste raison_ = I'm not bossy, I'm just right/correct.


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, the characters of Finn and Brody would be non-existant...and St. Berry would be well on their way to living their Broadway dream :)

* * *

Turning to walk back into the auditorium after the phone call with her mother, Holly found that she was slightly intimidated by the sight of the rest of the team assembled on the sage, apparently waiting for her.

"Everything okay?" Shelby asked as Holly walked up the steps.

Holly nodded. "I'm sure you can guess what her only request was," she responded.

"I'll call her later. For now, I'm going to do what I did the first days of our other newer members-those of you who want to work on the dances can say here in the auditorium while those of you who want to work on the music can use the choir room. Since you're going to primarily be a dancer, I would suggest doing the former, but I'll leave it up to you."

"Dances," Holly agreed.

Shelby smiled at her niece. "Welcome to the team," she said before turning to the rest of her students. "I'll be going back and forth between here and the choir room if anyone needs any help. Are there any questions?"

After seeing several heads shake, Shelby let the team divide themselves up into the two groups. Once she was satisfied that both groups were working diligently, she took Holly's previous place outside of the auditorium to call Sara.

* * *

"Are you okay? You've been acting strange all day," Holly asked her boyfriend as they walked out of rehearsal together.

"I'm fine, just have a lot on my mind," Dominic answered.

"Like what?"

"Like things I don't really want to talk about with so many people around. Stuff I need to think about, alone."

"Oh. I guess I better catch up with Rachel and Jesse then."  
Dominic sent her a confused look. "Why would you do that?"

"You were my ride today, remember? You obviously want to be alone, so I'll just catch a ride with them or my aunt. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Holly, wait."

"It's fine," Holly insisted as she gave Dominic a quick kiss. "Like I said, I'll see you tomorrow."

Knowing he'd unconsciously hurt the girl who was most likely the love of his life and unable to form the words to convey what he was feeling inside, Dominic watched as Holly quickly caught up to Rachel and Jesse and saw the questioning look Jesse threw his way. Silently cursing himself, Dominic made his way to his car, suddenly more eager than ever to just go home.

* * *

On the way to her own home, Holly peppered both Rachel and Jesse with questions.

"You've known Dominic for a long time; can you tell me what's going on?" Holly asked Jesse.

Jesse shrugged. "I would if I knew, but I don't. I have a feeling, but no concrete information."

Holly turned to her cousin. "You're the intuitive one; you tell me what's going on."

"Like Jesse said, I don't have any concrete information, just a feeling. But since I know you won't leave either of us alone until we tell you what we think, I'm just going to tell you now."

"Tell me  _what_?" Holly demanded.

"How would you feel if I told you I think Dominic is in love with you?" Rachel asked.

Holly sat back in her seat, silent. "I would say he's crazy," she responded a few minutes later.

"Why?" Jesse wanted to know.

"I don't know why he would love me. I haven't exactly been the nicest person in the world to him and we haven't been together all that long."

"Neither were Jesse and I," Rachel reminded her cousin.

"Yeah, but you two are different-you've always believed in soul mates and destiny and all that mushy stuff. I mean, I figured I'd fall in love someday, but I always thought I would have my life together by that point. There's still so many changes going on right now."

"I didn't always believe in it," Jesse revealed. "Not until I met Rachel. I freaked out the same way you are right now; you can even ask Blaine if you don't believe me since he's the one I called and who talked some sense into me."

"What changed your mind? Besides meeting Rachel," Holly wondered.

"I knew she was one of a kind, that a girl like her was pretty much one in a million. Sure, there are other girls out there who share my interests, maybe even have a similar dream. But none of them ever simply just understood me the way Rachel does. I figured that had to mean something. I'd never had a positive example of love the way both you and Rachel do, so the feeling wasn't exactly something I was comfortable with. Talking with Blaine, I realized that the walls I'd gotten so good at putting up over the years, the ones I'd built to protect myself, were never an issue with Rachel. They were never there, I didn't even think about putting them there. I've always been able to be myself with her."

"Okay, but how does that translate into knowing that you loved her, that you were soul mates?"

"I also knew I wouldn't be able to live without her. She'd become such an integral part of my life, regardless of the fact that we'd basically just met. I've always thought of a dream as something that, if it comes true, makes all of the hurt go away. Rachel is my dream come true. She makes everything better. She and I connect in a way that I never felt with anyone else. She makes me want to be a better person, makes me feel like I can do anything."

"I told my mom I think I'm going to end up marrying Dominic someday," Holly confessed.

"Seriously?" Rachel asked, not quite believing her ears.

Holly nodded. "Like Jesse said about you, Dominic just gets me. I don't necessarily have to explain myself all of the time. Granted I thought he was a pain in the ass at first, but still. I guess the fact that he was able to get under my skin like that has to mean something."

"Then I think you have your answer," Jesse told her.

Holly sighed. "He must think I don't feel the same way," she determined.

* * *

"Dominic?" Penelope asked as she heard the front door open but no greeting shouted and knowing that would be the only logical answer for who it could be.

"Is my dad around?" Dominic asked.

Penelope reluctantly shook her head. "I'm sorry, honey, he had to stay in Philadelphia a day longer than he planned. He said he tried calling you earlier."

"I'm sure he did, I just haven't checked my messages yet."

"Are you okay? You look troubled. It's just us; your siblings are off doing their own thing."

"Can we talk somewhere a little more private?"

Penelope smiled and nodded. "Sure. I think I know just the place. Follow me."

Confused, but knowing he could trust his step-mother, Dominic followed her to a part of the house he hadn't been to in far too long.

"I remember this place, I used to go here to hide from my siblings," Dominic said with a small smile as they settled on the couch in the small study space. "Since we added onto the house and I got my own room, I didn't use it as much."

"Your dad and I wanted to keep it as you had it. Something familiar is comforting sometimes."

Dominic nodded in agreement before he spoke. "How did you know you were in love with my dad?"

Penelope smiled. "Are you sure you really want to hear my answer?" she asked.

"I need to," Dominic answered.

"All right. Well, I guess I should start by saying I knew I was interested right from the start. There was a spark…an interest there that hadn't been there with anyone else. We shared the same interests, we wanted the same life. I could be myself with him and not be ashamed of any part of me. He accepted me completely, no questions asked. He didn't expect me to change for him. I guess you could say he understood what made me tick."

"That's how I feel when I'm with Holly. I knew of her since she's Rachel's cousin, but I'd never met her before a few weeks ago. The resemblance is there, but that's pretty much where their similarities end. I expected her to be a bit more like Rachel-very secure in her talent, of who she is and what she wants out of life, stubborn, a spitfire. That type of thing. I think Holly has Rachel beat in the drama queen department, but that's kind of where the similarities end. When I met Holly, she had just been transferred back to Carmel by her parents and Shelby had put her into a dance class. My dance class. I was attracted to her immediately, she's gorgeous, but there was also something about her that I've never quite been able to put my finger on that interested me."

Penelope nodded in understanding. "It made you want to get to know her better. Though you went about it differently than I would have expected."

Dominic smiled and shrugged. "She still insists I purposely got her trouble the first day…and she wasn't at all pleased about being paired up with me. She almost hit me with the door to the music area and then she accused me of stalking her. Not exactly the best start."

"No, it wasn't," Penelope agreed. "So what changed?"

Dominic thought for a moment before he answered. "We kind of poked at each other, pushed each other's buttons, for about a week or so. Then that horrible French test happened, I was late to class. Needless to say, Holly noticed. She seemed genuinely concerned, but I was already beating myself up over the thing, I didn't really want to talk about it. I just wanted to dance. She dropped it for a while."

"For a while?"

"Yeah. I walked into the library determined to get my French assignment finished while it was still fresh in my mind from class, and as I was looking for a place to sit, I saw Holly throw her pencil at her chemistry book and then heard her curse it in, what sounded to me like, perfect French. It made me laugh and I asked her what the poor chemistry book ever did to her. She simply told me 'existed'. I offered to help her, which she accepted."

"Not without questions I'm guessing."

Dominic nodded. "She was skeptical, asking me why I was suddenly being so nice to her, but she accepted the help. When she was saying how she basically felt stupid because she couldn't fully grasp the concepts, I told her that she was way better at French than I was and that seemed to make her feel better. By the end of the week, I'd given her my number in case she had any questions and took down hers in the process."

"You bought that necklace weeks before the Lima trip. I didn't think Holly was going."

"She wasn't originally. I got her to show up at school, where we all met up, and Rachel convinced Holly's mom to let her go. Everyone paired off with their significant other, which left Holly and me. After arguing about who was going to drive, we ended up coming up with an agreement that I could drive if she could pick the music. I didn't want to continue arguing with her, since that seemed to be the most common way we talked at the time, and I also wanted to get going, so I agreed. During the trip, we came up with another agreement-I'd help her with chemistry if she helped me with French. While we were in Lima, everyone kept pushing us to admit we liked each other, to spend time together. I ended up asking her to dance, which she surprisingly agreed to."

"Which would have essentially sealed the deal, as the saying goes. Yes, you'd danced together before, but this was different. This wasn't a class, this wasn't required."

Dominic nodded. "While they were getting the musical set up, I asked Holly to go outside to my car with me because I had something for her. I'm still a little confused as to what exactly her thought process was, but she liked the necklace, she accepted it and asked me to help her put it on. When she turned back around and I saw the necklace on her, it was like something clicked."

"You made your move," Penelope finished.

"Sort of, I guess. I told her I wanted her to give me a chance and that I wanted her to stop thinking of me as a jerk. I kissed her shortly thereafter."

"So what happened between then and now to make you fall in love with her?"

"How…?" Dominic wondered, at a loss for words.

Penelope simply smiled. "I've known you since you were little, Dominic. I've never heard you talk about anyone as much as you talk about Holly, and I saw the way you were with her yesterday. The way you both were."

"So you think…?"

"I think she loves you, too."

"We've only technically been together a couple of days. Isn't this moving way too fast?"

Penelope shook her head. "No. When it's right, you just know. You have to be open and honest with Holly the way you just were with me. Tell her how you feel."

"How long did it take you to know that you were in love with my dad?"

"One day. Your father took a bit longer to come around to the idea, but I convinced him eventually."

Dominic chuckled. "I'm glad you did. I don't know what I'd do without you, Nell."

Penelope smiled. "I don't know what I'd do without you, either. I know you already have a mother who loves you, but I'm glad you let me love you, too."

Dominic hugged his step-mother. "Thanks for the talk. I think I'm going to go find Holly and see if she'll let me explain myself."

Penelope returned her step-son's hug. "Good luck," she whispered.

* * *

Alone in her room, Holly sat on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. When she saw her parents appear in the doorway with concerned looks on their faces, that's all it took for her to break down.

"Holly?" Sara asked, sitting down beside her daughter and drawing her into her arms.

"Are you okay, honey?" Nick wondered, taking a seat on the other side of his daughter.

"My heart hurts. My head hurts. I'm so confused," Holly answered.

"Does this have to do with Dominic?" Sara wondered.

"Who's Dominic?" Nick asked.

"My boyfriend. At least, I think he's still my boyfriend. I don't really know," Holly clarified.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, Dad. I hurt myself."

"I don't understand."

"I've been trying to deny the fact that I love him. I'm pretty sure I've only confused him in the process, but this isn't exactly what I planned on when I returned to Carmel."

Nick ran a hand over his daughter's hair. "I didn't plan on meeting the love of my life when I went to support a friend at a dance competition. You can't plan this sort of thing."

"Your dad's right, honey," Sara said softly. "As my sister is fond of saying, when it's right, it's right. She's still kicking herself for a mistake she made when she was your age and she's made it her mission to make sure none of her loved ones make the same mistake. As your mother, I'm not fond of you admitting that you love a boy before I've even met him, but I also hate to see you upset."

"He's the first boy to make me feel like it's okay to just be me. I don't have to try to be someone I'm not, to try and change to fit a mold."

"I like him already," Nick decided.

Sara pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "I think you should let Dominic in. I know you haven't done so completely because you're scared of the way he makes you feel. The decision is up to you, though. Your dad and I trust you to make the one that you feel is best for you, and we'll support you."

Holly hugged her parents. "I think I'm going to go for a drive, do some thinking."

"Just don't be home too late," Nick told her.

"I won't," Holly promised before grabbing her keys and purse, and then heading out to her car.

* * *

A few minutes later, Holly found herself in a park she'd often visited as child. She had to smile a little when she saw that her boyfriend had apparently had the same thought process she had. Walking over to the swings, she took a seat on the one next to him before she spoke.

"Hi," she said softly.

Startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his girlfriend's voice, Dominic's head shot up. "Holly?" he asked, not sure he should believe his eyes or his ears.

"I guess we really are more alike than we thought," she answered with a small smile.

"My dad used to take me here when I was younger. Before he started traveling so much. We used to have a weekly father-son day. I loved those days."

Holly smiled. "My dad and I did something similar. It wasn't every week, but it was at least once a month. He'd take me out wherever I wanted to go. In the winter, it was always the same. I'd ask him to take me to the skating rink that they make here so I could practice being an ice ballerina."

Dominic chuckled. "An ice ballerina?"

"I was like six. Give me a break."

"I think it's cute. At least it's not abnormal for a little girl to be interested in dance."

Holly frowned. "I hate stereotypes," she said.

"It was kind of difficult for my dad to talk about dance with me, since though he tries, he's pretty much got two left feet and therefore wasn't any good at it. He always made sure to listen attentively when I talked about it, though."

"I'm listening, Dominic. Tell me what's going on."

Dominic sighed before he stood and held out his hand. "Walk with me?" he asked.

Holly placed her hand in his as she stood to begin walking with him. She had to smile a little when she felt him lace their fingers together.

"You make me feel things I've never felt before," Dominic started, both a bit unsure and nervous about how this conversation would go.

"I understand that," Holly told him. "I didn't transfer back to Carmel thinking things would turn out like this. I didn't expect my aunt to enroll me in Madame Nicole's class, or that I'd genuinely enjoy it and re-discover my love of dance in the process."

"Re-discover?" Dominic asked.

Holly nodded. "You know I quit for a while, and that I was hanging out with people who thought it was stupid. I was failing tests, getting into trouble. I was…lost, I guess. My parents informed me of the transfer the day you met me. My first day back at Carmel."

"You didn't seem angry, just unsure."

"You can thank Rachel for that one. I texted her as soon as I found out, but I didn't expect her to basically take me under her wing and introduce me to her group of friends. They're great, but I wasn't expecting them to accept me. Rachel asked Jesse to show me to my aunt's office, but he had a quiz first period, so Blaine volunteered to take me. We started talking and became fast friends. I got a kick out of the different dynamics within the group and I'd always enjoyed hanging out with my cousin. Soon enough, I found myself part of the group and then they somehow pulled you in as well."

"They do it without you knowing it."

Holly nodded in agreement. "I'm certainly not complaining. My mom says I've been holding back, that I haven't let you all of the way in…and that's part of why you acted so weird today, especially after my audition. When my mom asked me about you, I asked her what she'd think if I said I was going to marry you someday."

"What did she say?" Dominic wondered.

"She was confused. Once I explained how you understood me, how you understand the artsy side that loves to dance and the practical side that wants to have a backup, she told me that that had to mean something. And it does. It means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to me, too. I don't want to lose you. I can't."

"I can't lose you, either. I'm not going anywhere."

Dominic stopped walking to pull Holly into his arms, locking his hands behind her back. "I really hope you mean that, since what I'm about to tell you would scare some people away because they think it's moving too fast."

"You mean "I love you"?" Holly asked innocently. "Still here. Not going anywhere, remember?"

Dominic grinned at her. "I love you, too," he told her before capturing her lips in a tender kiss.

* * *

Rachel had just settled into her boyfriend's arms when she remembered his earlier promise.

"Jess?" she started. "Can we talk now?"

Jesse kissed her softly before he nodded. "I really am sorry I made it seem like the marriage comment was a flippant one. That's not how I meant it."

Rachel reached up to run her fingers through Jesse's curls. "I understand that now. I just want to make sure we're on the same page about this."

"Like I told you before, marriage is a big deal to me, too, even though I'd never given it much thought before you walked into my life. Or I guess more accurately, I walked into yours."

Rachel shared a smile with her boyfriend before she spoke again. "The night you told me that you loved me, you also told me about the future you envisioned for us. I want all of that, Jess. I need to know that you still want that, too."

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"Feelings change. The fact that your parents don't like me could be a factor."

Jesse pulled Rachel closer to him. "I don't care what my parents think. My sister adores you, and I'm pretty sure my grandmother would try to set us up if we weren't already together. My aunt and uncle liked you from the very beginning, as did Blaine. I love you and that's not going to change. You're my dream come true. Just because I know we'll get married someday doesn't mean I want to rush things or that it's meaningless. Your dream Jewish wedding isn't going to come together over night."

"What?"

"You didn't honestly think I wouldn't agree to a Jewish ceremony, did you? I know how much your religion means to you. You may not be the stereotypical religious person, but I understand that it still means a lot to you. I know you've always envisioned a Jewish wedding when you envisioned your dream wedding. I know I'm not Jewish, but I don't recall that being a problem."

Rachel giggled. "It's not. You just surprised me. I didn't know you'd thought about it that much."

"Probably not as much as you," Jesse admitted with a playful wink for his girlfriend, "but I have thought about it. Our ideas might change over the next few years, but the meaning, the significance of the ceremony, won't. Marriage isn't just some piece of paper."

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions, I was just surprised."

"I understand," Jesse assured her. "And like I said, I'm willing to talk about this future event as much as you want…in private."

Rachel smiled at her love. "What about public declarations of love?" she asked innocently.

Jesse laughed as he leaned down to brush his lips with Rachel's. "Those are acceptable," he responded.

"Mm. What about more kisses?"

"Definitely acceptable," Jesse answered before he once again captured Rachel's lips with his.

* * *

Down the hall, Leroy and Hiram were having a discussion of their own, only this one wasn't as joyous as the one their daughter and future son-in-law were having.

"I can't believe he'd do that to his own son!" Hiram said incredulously.

"From what I've heard of the man, I unfortunately can," Leroy said with a sigh.

"To take away college money just because Jesse wants to study the arts instead of business? Is that legal?"

"I guess the stipulation was in place since Jesse was young. I think Martin put it there as a way of not feeling so guilty about denying his son access to money that should be rightfully his."

Hiram shook his head. "I still think he should go to hell for it."

Leroy chuckled. "Yes, well, just be glad you aren't going to be in Martin's shoes when Jacqueline gets a hold of him."

Hiram grinned at his husband. "That's very true. I guess that's fit punishment. A grown man being scolded by his mother. His plan also kind of backfired, since Jacqueline was smart enough to set up a trust of her own for Jesse and volunteer to help him with any other expenses that college tends to bring."

"I guess no matter how old they are, parents are still able to read their children frighteningly well sometimes."

"It's a good thing too; otherwise Jesse would be getting some unfortunate news. Genevieve still plans on telling him everything, but at least we know the whole story now."

"She really is taking being back in his life serious," Hiram observed.

Leroy nodded. "I think they genuinely missed each other, and she wants to do what she can to continue to watch out for him. I know you'd do the same with Isabel."

Hiram nodded in agreement. "She'll always be my baby sister. I'll always look out for her."

"Now we just need to figure out how we're going to pay for Rachel's college. I don't want her worrying about the cost and I'm not sure we set aside enough."

"We have a couple of years yet, Leroy," Hiram reminded his husband. "Besides, I know Shelby has been saving for a while too, and students from Carmel have a good track record of getting scholarships. Add that to the fact that she's the female lead of the top show choir in the Nation, I'm pretty sure her scholarship chances are pretty high."

"That's very true," Leroy agreed.

"Glad you see things my way," Hiram said with a grin, making his husband laugh and shake his head.

* * *

"Mom!" Holly called as she, Dominic, and the rest of their group walked into the house on Saturday afternoon.

"Kitchen!" Sara called back.

"If that's what you want to call it. I'd say it's more of a disaster area at the moment," Liam commented from the doorway to the living room.

"That bad?" Holly asked her brother.

Liam nodded. "Dad got roped into helping. Mom dumped flour on him. He went upstairs to shower for the third time today."

"Third time?" Rachel asked, trying to hold back her laughter.

Liam nodded again. "Yeah. She dumped punch on him earlier."

"Oh boy," Holly said, making a beeline for the kitchen, Rachel close behind her.

"Hi, honey, Rachel," Sara greeted when she saw her daughter and niece walk into the room.

"Mom, what's going on?" Holly asked, looking around the kitchen.

"I was attempting to cook…and bake," Sara answered. "I didn't do such a great job. Hiram was kind enough to take pity on me, and he brought over some food. I sent Liam to the store for the rest."

"You didn't have to go through all this trouble," Holly started, only to be cut off by Sara shaking her head.

"I wanted to," Sara told her daughter. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"I think it's sweet," Rachel added.

"It was a nice thought, Mom," Holly agreed.

Sara sighed. "Your friends are here and I'm a mess. I'm sorry, honey."

"I think Liam has them pretty much distracted," Rachel told her aunt. "I'm sure you'd have time for a quick shower."

"Nick should be down in a few minutes anyway. I'll be back soon," Sara said before turning to walk up the stairs.

Holly turned to her cousin. "I think we need to go save my brother from Santana, though I'm a little unsure why."

Rachel laughed as she looped her arm through Holly's. "Because he's your brother and you enjoy torturing him entirely too much," she answered.

"Very true."

* * *

Walking into the living room a short while later, Sara was only slightly surprised to see both her husband and her son immersed in the group's activities. There was a movie playing on the TV that everyone had apparently agreed upon. Holly and Dominic, as well as Rachel and Jesse, were curled together on the couch while Santana sat on Puck's lap in a nearby recliner, and Kurt and Blaine sat together on the loveseat. Nick and Liam had sprawled out on the floor in front of the group.

"Is there room for one more?" Sara queried with a laugh.

Holly paused the movie before she turned her attention to her mother. "Do you want to meet everyone first?" she asked.

"Sure."

Holly shared a smile with her mother before she began the introductions, choosing to introduce Dominic last.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Sara told him.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Dominic returned with a smile.

"Another charming boy to add to the family," Nick told his wife.

"That makes two," Holly added. "Since Liam doesn't count."

"You should be nice to me. I know lots of embarrassing stories about you," Liam retorted.

"And I know more about you, so I wouldn't push it, little brother," Holly returned.

Dominic chuckled as he tightened his arms around his girlfriend, both to keep her close and to keep her from further retaliating against her brother.

* * *

"So you're all attending Carmel and are in Vocal Adrenaline together?" Nick queried as everyone settled down to eat.

"Rachel, Santana, Puck, and I went to McKinley before this year, though," Kurt added.

"So you've all been friends since you were little?" Sara asked.

"Rachel and I have," Puck answered. "She and Kurt started hanging out in middle school, and I met Satan around that time too. We started dating her freshman year of high school."

"Satan?" Liam wondered.

"Her name is Santana, but Noah lovingly refers to her as Satan," Rachel explained.

"I thought his name was Puck?"

"Noah Puckerman. I prefer Puck, but a few select people are allowed to use my first name," Puck clarified.

Liam nodded before turning to his sister's boyfriend. "Are you sure you want her? She's kind of annoying."

Dominic laughed as Holly glared at her brother. "Yes, I'm sure. I hear you have a girlfriend of your own that we haven't met yet."

"You do?" Sara asked her son.

"She's not my girlfriend," Liam insisted, sending a glare of his own his sister's way.

"Your cousins are a form of entertainment in and of themselves," Jesse whispered to his girlfriend.

Rachel giggled softly as she nodded in agreement. "Now you can see why I was always so eager to visit them. They keep things interesting."

"Jesse, Dominic, have you two decided on a college?" Nick asked the two seniors of the group.

"I've narrowed it down to a few I want to seriously pursue, plus a backup," Jesse answered.

"Same here," Dominic answered. "My first choice is Julliard, but I've also looked at Columbia's Barnard College, Cornell, Tisch, Joffrey, and the University of the Arts as well as Ohio State."

"Ohio State?" Holly asked skeptically.

"It's a backup," Jesse explained to his girlfriend's cousin. "In case something happens and we can't attend one of the schools on our list, whether that's due to not being accepted or something here needs our attention. This way we could still pursue the degree, and the education, we want, but we don't have to put it off."

"I guess that makes sense," Holly conceded.

"Shelby would never let any of us apply to just one school anyway," Dominic added.

"Sounds like my sister," Sara agreed. "When she was applying to colleges, I think she had a list of ten."

"Ten?" Rachel asked.

Sara laughed. "Yes. Our parents were just as surprised as you were, but they weren't going to argue with her wanting to apply to multiple schools."

Rachel was silent for a moment as she thought back to that point in her mother's life. "She wanted to get away from here, to get away from the memories, to find that…lost love."

Sara nodded. "She found him, but it was too late."

"What do you mean, too late?" Holly wondered.

"The day she finally worked up the courage to call him, his engagement announcement showed up in the newspaper."

"Oh," Rachel whispered, gripping Jesse's hand tightly.

"Didn't he still love Aunt Shelby?" Holly asked.

"There's a lot more to the story, but that's up to Shelby to reveal. She's moved past it now, but he just recently found out she had gone looking for him."

"Joel's dad," Jesse said, putting together the puzzle pieces in his mind.

"Who?" Dominic asked.

"My sister's fiancé. His dad and the guy Shelby let get away are best friends."

"Damn."

"Do you think my mom still loves him?" Rachel asked her aunt.

"I don't think she ever stopped, sweetie," Sara answered.

"Does he still love my mom?"

Sara nodded. "He does. You can't forget your soul mate."

"You've been in contact with him?" Jesse asked.

"He and I ran into each other when he was here visiting family. Shelby doesn't know he's coming back to try and find her. I tried to tell her, but she refuses to talk about him."

"Does this guy have a name?" Santana wanted to know.

"His name is Jack Canton, and I truly believe he's my sister's soul mate. He's been miserable without her, as she has been without him."

"She's not happy?" Rachel asked quietly.

"Sweetie, that's not what I meant," Sara quickly clarified. "The happiest I've ever seen her is when she's with you. I'm pretty sure the day you were born was the happiest day of her life. She adores you and loves you, but there's a part of her that's still missing. A void that only Jack can fill."

Rachel exchanged a look with her boyfriend, her own soul mate. She knew she'd feel the same way if they were ever to break up. "I understand," she said quietly.

Sara smiled at her niece. "I was hoping you'd say that. Don't think for a minute that you don't make her happy, that you don't make her proud. She loves having you around all of the time. Being a mother was one of her dreams too. That one did come true."

"This conversation has gotten entirely too mushy," Liam put in, immediately lightening the mood once again.

"I think we should sing," Rachel added.

"Of course you do," Holly said.

"I guess we could dust off the karaoke machine," Sara said to her husband.

"Really?" Rachel asked eagerly.

Nick laughed. "Yes, really. I even took the liberty of inviting your parents over, since it's been far too long since I've heard any of them sing."

Rachel jumped up and hugged her uncle tightly. "You're the best, Uncle Nick," she said excitedly.

"She's going to make me dance and I just did that all morning," Holly grumbled good-naturedly.

Dominic chuckled. "But this dancing is for fun," he told her.

"Come on, you have to sing with me too!" Rachel exclaimed, grabbing Holly's hands and pulling her up off of Dominic's lap.

"I just did that all morning, too," Holly retorted.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Blaine assured her.

Holly sighed. "Are you sure we can't just hand our  _cousins_  the microphones and let  _them_  sing to their heart's content?" she asked him.

Blaine laughed. "We probably could, but then they'd be mad at us for not joining in."

Holly sighed again. "She could at least let me digest my food before she makes me do anything requiring  _l'activité physique_."

" _Buena suerte con eso_ ," Santana responded.

* * *

**Translations:**

_**_l'activité physique_  = physical activity** _

_**_Buena suerte con eso_  = good luck with that** _


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer:**  Obviously, I don't own Glee. Otherwise it would be Jesse in NY with Rachel, and Finn would just stay away.

* * *

While the group of teens debated on what to sing, Sara walked over to her husband.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

"Observing," he replied, nodding towards their children, both of whom were standing near the karaoke machine.

Sara had to smile when she saw Rachel and Holly clearly debating the merits of a particular song. She was also pleased to see Liam interacting with both Puck and Blaine.

"They all seem so happy to be with each other," she said quietly.

Nick nodded in agreement. "I think they are. They all have their own personalities and interests, but that's what makes them so fascinating and fun to be around."

"That's definitely true. Between Holly's French and Santana's Spanish, I imagine it might be difficult to keep up sometimes, though."

Nick chuckled. "It definitely keeps things interesting."

Sara nodded in agreement, but was stopped from saying anything else by the sound of the doorbell ringing. After glancing one last time at the group of teens, she made her way to the entryway.

* * *

"You brought more food?" Sara asked in surprise as she let her sister and the men she loved like brothers into the house.

Hiram smiled. "I did. I know how this group eats, remember? There are multiple teenage boys, including one I know for a fact is always up for food."

Sara took the plate of food from Hiram with a smile. "Well, thank you. Considering my kitchen needs to recover from my cooking attempts, I'm sure it thanks you as well."

"I'm sure it's no worse than how ours looks after Hiram and Rachel have been experimenting all day," Leroy said with a chuckle.

"I'm pretty sure it's worse, but thank you for attempting to make me feel better."

* * *

Following her sister into the kitchen, Shelby was only slightly surprised to hear the sound of singing floating down the hall.

"Oh my God," she said as she surveyed Sara's kitchen.

"Don't start," Sara snapped with a sigh.

Shelby had to smile as she looked around. "It does kind of look the same way my kitchen does after Hiram and Rachel have spent the day experimenting. A bit worse, but not bad."

"That makes me a feel a little better. I still wish I could be in there enjoying time with my daughter rather than in here cleaning."

"I'll help you, and then we can both get back to our daughters, who seem to have become fast friends."

Sara sent her sister a grateful look as she handed her a rag. "Somehow, I'm not completely surprised. They always got along well growing up."

Shelby nodded in agreement. "I know, and it's really not all that surprising that Holly has been enfolded in Rachel's group of friends, either."

"They seem like a good group of kids."

"They are. They seem to like my house the best, though since I generally see them throughout the day at school, I'm not entirely sure why."

Sara laughed. "Seriously? You have a stage, a mini theater, a music room  _and_  a built-in cook. What more could a group of teens who love the arts want?"

Shelby smiled and shrugged. "I suppose that's true. Hiram seems to enjoy cooking for them, and I know he and Leroy both enjoy having them all around. They're a very willing audience."

"I can see that. You seem to be enjoying having a full house as well."

"I am. I've gotten to spend more time with my daughter, and it's a relief for her dads and me to know she's not being bullied at school anymore. Rachel is blossoming and it's wonderful to be able to see it."

Sara shared a smile with her sister. "She really is. I'm definitely not complaining about being able to see her more often myself. Plus, it's nice for Holly to have someone around her own age who she can relate to on pretty much every level."

"Holly's doing better than ever. I know you've been worried, but you really don't need to. She's doing well in all of her classes."

"What about with Vocal Adrenaline?"

"She's doing very well there, too. She's still kind of finding her place, but that's nothing to be worried about. She's still new to the group. She caught on to everything quickly and seems to enjoy it."

"I guess she would have chosen to go back to Carmel on her own if we'd given her the chance to decide," Sara revealed.

Shelby nodded. "I figured as much. I keep telling you, you two need to learn to communicate with each other."

"We're working on it. We had a couple of nice mother-daughter chats."

"Good. I'm glad. What do you think of Dominic?"

"I like him. I assume he plans on sticking around, so I'm sure I'll get to know him better eventually. He seems to know what he wants for the future, so that's good. I'm just worried about how attached he and Holly already seem to be to each other."

Shelby snickered. "Like you didn't spend every waking moment with Nick when you first started dating, and even before that, you two were practically inseparable."

"That's how you and Jack were too," Sara added without thinking.

"I told you I don't want to talk about him. He's part of the past. It's not like I'm ever going to see him again. I'm sure he's happy with his wife."

Sara rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Shelby? What part of he never married her does your brain not comprehend?"

Shelby was silent as she took in her sister's words. "He…never…" she started, unable to finish saying the rest of the words.

"I've been trying to tell you that for years. He called off the wedding shortly after the announcement showed up."

"He must have loved her if he proposed. Who's to say she's not who he was meant to be with?"

"Shelby."

Shelby glared at her sister. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Too bad. We're talking about it. He just recently found out you went looking for him. How do you think he felt when he found that out?"

"How am I supposed to know? I haven't spoken to him since before he left!"

"He's been asking about you. He wants to see you again."

"Well I don't want to see him. I'm perfectly happy with my life."

Sara crossed her arms and sent her sister a glare of her own. "Stop lying to yourself and admit you miss him. Admit you wonder what could have been."

Shelby threw down the rag she'd been holding. "Of course I do! At the same time, I have a wonderful daughter in the next room that I would do  _anything_  for and I wouldn't trade her for the world. Do I regret going to New York and basically making a fool of myself trying to make it? Yes, I do. I don't regret agreeing to have her, though. She's brought so much joy to my life; I can't even begin to imagine life without her. If things had worked out with Jack, maybe I wouldn't have had the opportunity to have her. How would you suggest I react?"

"Just talk to him, Shelby."

"No. End of discussion," Shelby said as she turned around and made her way out of the room.

"That sounds like it went well," Nick said as he took Shelby's place in the kitchen.

Sara sighed. "As well as could be, I guess. She's my little sister, Nick. Is it so bad that I just want to see her get a chance at love too?"

Nick pulled his wife into his arms. "No, it's not. Your heart is in the right place, and Shelby knows that, but put yourself in her shoes. It's kind of a lot to take in. For now, though, I think we should re-join our daughter and her friends in the living room. I would highly suggest taking advantage of the fact that she  _wants_  us there."

Sara smiled a little as she let Nick lead her towards the living room. "That's very true."

* * *

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked her mother as she took the seat next to her on the couch.

Shelby ran a hand over her daughter's hair. "I'm fine, baby."

"You don't look fine."

"All right, then, do you have any suggestions for making me feel better?" Shelby asked with a smile.

Rachel grinned at her mother. "I do. Well, Holly and I do."

"Are you talking about me again?" Holly asked, inserting herself into the conversation as she leaned over the back of the couch.

"Always. Spying on you just gives us so much to talk about," Shelby responded with a grin.

"I knew it!" Holly said with a laugh before turning to her cousin. "You made me move; therefore you need to make it worth my while. Sing something I can dance with my boyfriend to."

"You're so bossy," Rachel mock-complained.

Holly laughed again as she shrugged. "It's part of my  _charme_."

Before any of the three women could say anything else, they heard the beginning notes of a song that was clearly more to Holly's liking.

"Come on, cousin, the boys look entirely too happy just standing there.  _Dansons_!"

Rachel laughed as Holly grabbed her hand and pulled her over to where Dominic and Jesse were standing. With a laugh of her own, Sara took her niece's previous seat next to Shelby.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Holly this happy."

Shelby smiled as she heard Blaine begin to sing and saw Santana lead Puck out onto the makeshift dance floor that was Sara's living room rug to join Jesse and Rachel, and Dominic and Holly. "Kurt insists they were sisters in another life. I'm inclined to believe him."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Sara agreed.

* * *

At rehearsal the next day, Rachel noticed Sasha and Holly shooting each other annoyed looks throughout the first half of it. As they were dismissed for a break, she quickly found her mother and asked her about it.

"Did something happen between Sasha and Holly that I'm not aware of?"

Shelby shook her head. "Not that I know of, but I did notice the glares all through the first half of rehearsal. We're not going to get much accomplished if they can't get along."

"I think I may be able to shed some light on this," a new voice from beside Rachel said.

Rachel turned to see one of the other senior members of Vocal Adrenaline standing beside her. "You know something?"

Andrea nodded. "Well, I know about Sasha. She's always been difficult to get along with, but for the most part she's pulled her own weight so the rest of us really didn't care. Before you joined and took over the female lead position, there was no specific person for the job. We all kind of took turns, depending on the song. As you're aware, the female lead is not only required to  _sing_  lead but also essentially dance it."

"Was she some great dancer who had to sit out for a while and was never the same afterwards or something?" Rachel asked

Shelby shook her head. "No. She's always been…mediocre, but she's able to keep up with the choreography and she usually picks it up rather quickly. When she applies herself, she's a lot better."

"Which she hasn't been doing since Rachel arrived, along with Santana, and now Holly. She feels threatened for whatever reason makes sense in that crazy mind of hers. She's refusing to pull her weight, purposely messing up the steps. Holly snapped at her the yesterday and ever since, she's slacked off even more. It's clear she's doing it on purpose."

"I wish someone had told me all of this a lot sooner. Does Jesse know?"

"I'm not sure. She's never liked listening to anyone but Shelby, though."

"I'm the female lead, the co-captain of this team. I should have been told."

"I'm telling you now. She wasn't a problem up until today, otherwise I would have told you a long time ago."

Rachel took a deep breath before she turned back to her mother. "Did you see where Sasha went?"

Shelby pointed to the stage, where Sasha appeared to be trying to show off for a couple of the boys. Rachel nodded, taking another deep breath before making her way back onto the stage.

* * *

"Watch closely, boys, I'll show you the right way to do the move you all keep messing up. Even our esteemed female lead can't get it right," Sasha said with a satisfied smile.

Before either boy could say anything to warn the blonde, Rachel spoke. "What is it I keep messing up, Sasha?"

Sasha gasped as she turned around. "Rachel, I didn't see you."

"Henry, Peter, if I could have a moment alone with Sasha…"

Henry and Peter nodded.

"I think we'll just get Jesse to show us the move," Peter said as they walked away.

As soon as the boys walked past her, Rachel turned back to the blonde girl in front of her. "Is there something you'd like to talk to me about?"

Sasha crossed her arms and glared at the shorter girl. "No."

"I've heard differently."

"Well, then you've heard wrong."

Rachel sighed and shook her head. "I don't want to be a bitch, Sasha, it's not who I am, but you leave me no choice. I know you haven't been pulling your weight, and I know you're aware of my mother's policy on bad attitudes. They have no place here. If you have a problem with me or another member of this team, you talk to one of three people about it: me, my mother, or Jesse. Jesse and I are the leads, regardless of whether or not you agree with it. If you can't get over your jealousy, or whatever your problem with the current arrangement is, then I think it's best that you leave."

Sasha gaped at her. She clearly hadn't been expecting that. "I earned my spot fair and square!"

"So did I. So did Santana, and so did Holly, as did the rest of the members of this team. No one got in because of who they are. They got in because of their talent."

"I'm better than all of you."

"I think you should leave."

"You can't kick me out."

"I'm not. I'm sending you home for the day. You have two options when you return tomorrow: either change your attitude and start pulling your weight or leave permanently. If you need help learning choreography or lyrics, I can find someone to help you. I admit that my cousin is a better dancer than me, that she can pick up choreography faster than I can, and I've had to ask for help before. So you're right, I don't always do everything correctly the first few times, but I do what I need to in order to makes sure that I get it. We're a  _team_ , Sasha. If you feel that you can't be a productive member of a team, then maybe you should re-consider being here."

"Can she do this?" Sasha demanded of Shelby as she joined the two of them on stage.

"She can," Shelby said with a nod. "I agree with her decision. Go home, Sasha. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I hate you; I wish you would have stayed at that loser school!" Sasha hissed as she stomped her way off the stage and out the doors.

Rachel let out a breath as Holly and Santana wrapped their arms around her.

"You were fierce," Holly told her.

"I hate being a bitch and playing the female lead card," Rachel said with a sigh.

"You did what needed to be done. She needed to know she couldn't mess with you and her  _mala actitud_  has no place here."

"Obviously I missed something," Jesse said as he and the majority of the team made their way back onto the stage.

"Rachel sent Sasha home," Kurt said proudly.

"Really."

"Don't sound so surprised," Giselle added. "She  _is_  Shelby's daughter, after all."

Jesse chuckled as he pulled his girlfriend into his arms. "That's very true," he said before looking down at her to makes sure she truly was okay. "I guess that'll teach her to underestimate you, huh."

Rachel hugged her boyfriend tightly. "She makes me want to punch something," she mumbled into his shirt.

"I know how you feel," Andrea told her. "I don't know about you, but singing always makes me feel better. It'll be a little awkward rehearsing our dance numbers with an odd number of us, but we've made it work before."

Rachel nodded, reluctantly leaving her boyfriend's embrace before turning to face the rest of the team. "I do appreciate you all, you're all important to me. I just want you to know that."

"We know," Nina told her, the smiling faces behind her telling Rachel that the auburn-haired girl was telling the truth.

* * *

Sara was in the middle of looking over some paperwork when she heard her phone begin to ring. Not bothering to glance at the caller ID, she picked it up.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Did you talk to her?" the voice on the other end asked.

Sara sighed, recognizing the voice. "Yes, Jack, I talked to her. Her answer hasn't changed."

"I don't understand why she didn't still try to contact me. I would have agreed to see her in a heartbeat. I walked away because I thought it's what she wanted."

"You're so stupid. You both are. And Blake is a manipulative ass."

Jack laughed. "I never knew you felt that way about us, Sara."

Sara's lips twitched as she tried to keep her laughter at bay. "Well, now you do. Seriously, though, Jack you can't just storm back into her life and expect her to run back into your arms.  _You_  left  _her_ , not the other way around, remember? That's why she didn't try to contact you after she saw the engagement announcement."

"Well, if someone had bothered to inform me she went looking for me, we wouldn't be in this situation."

Regardless of the fact that Jack couldn't see her, Sara threw up the hand that wasn't currently holding the phone. "Everyone Shelby kept around after your breakup were people who had no connection to you. How were we supposed to know you didn't really want to marry that girl?"

"I don't know, asked me?"

"You know, if you were here right now, I'd seriously hit you. Maybe I should get Nick to explain it to you."

Jack laughed. "I'm sorry, Sara. I'm just trying to figure out how Shelby and I managed to miss so many years together."

"She has a kid, Jack. That's another reason why you can't just storm back into her life. It wouldn't just be Shelby's life you'd be disrupting."

"How old?"

"She'll be sixteen in December."

"She married?"

Sara bit her lip as she debated whether to explain everything to Jack or not. When she finally made a decision, she spoke again. "It's not my place to explain everything, but no, she never married. She loves Rachel's father, but not in the way you think."

"I still want to talk to her…to try to explain….to try to get some answers."

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm not guaranteeing anything."

"If I write her a letter…will she read it?"

"I don't know."

Jack sighed. "Well, thanks for the update. I'll be in touch. Bye, Sara."

"Bye, Jack."

After hanging up with the man she had honestly thought would be her brother-in-law by now, Sara reluctantly went back to her work, lamenting the fact that she could honestly see both sides of the situation.

"I hate being stuck in the middle," she muttered to herself, looking up in surprise when she heard a deep chuckle coming from near her doorway. "Nick, what in the world are you doing here?" she asked when she saw her husband standing there.

"Making sure you eat," he answered as he approached the desk. "And I was curious as to how the conversation with Jack went."

Sara laughed as she took the food he offered. "Of course you did."

* * *

"She's not going to kill me tomorrow, is she?" Rachel asked her boyfriend as she settled on his bed while he finished his homework.

Jesse chuckled. "Doubtful. You might have to send her home a couple more times before she gets it, though. I would have done the same thing. I  _have_  done the same thing."

"Is it wrong that I still feel bad about it?"

"No. I know how much it sucks to have to play the 'I'm the lead' card, but you have it for a reason. Plus, I think it was pretty obvious that the rest of the team was thankful you did it. I have a feeling Shelby was close to flat out kicking her off the team, so she really got off easy in the respect that she still has a place on the team."

"Maybe I should send her over to McKinley for a while, I think she and Mercedes would probably kill each other. Then I wouldn't have to worry about  _either_  of them."

Jesse smirked at her. "I didn't know you were so vindictive, Rach."

Rachel threw a pillow at her boyfriend, who just laughed. "You're lucky I love you, you know."

Momentarily abandoning his homework, Jesse stood and walked over to his girlfriend to give her a kiss. "I know," he told her softly before brushing his lips with hers again.

Smiling into the kiss, Rachel wrapped her arms around Jesse's neck and tugged, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto the bed next to her.

Wrapping his own arms around Rachel, Jesse pulled her close as he grinned at her. "Is there something you'd like, Miss Berry?" he asked teasingly, returning her smile.

"Maybe I should just let you get back to your homework…" she started-only to be cut off when Jesse pulled her even closer, practically eliminating any space between them.

"Uh-uh. You can't fool me. Admit it-you want me."

Rachel's lips twitched as she fought back her laughter. "I'm a very good actress. How do you know I'm not just pretending?"

Jesse leaned close to Rachel's ear as he whispered his response. "Because your show face doesn't exist when I'm around."

"Neither does yours," Rachel retorted before closing the small gap between herself and her boyfriend.

* * *

"You should have seen Rachel today, she totally channeled Aunt Shelby," Holly told her mother as she took a seat on her bed.

"What happened?"

"Rachel kicked someone out of rehearsal."

"Really."

Holly laughed. "That was Jesse's response, too. As Giselle put it, Rachel  _is_  Shelby's daughter, after all."

Sara smiled. "That's very true. Rachel must have had a reason for kicking this person out, and they must have really angered her."

Holly nodded as she began to explain what had happened at rehearsal to her mother. As part of their effort to improve their communication, they had both decided on a nightly mother-daughter chat whenever possible.

"How's Dominic?" Sara asked after Holly had finished her story.

Holly smiled. "He's good. He still says I'm bossy, but I just keep telling him it's part of my charm."

"And I'm sure you tell him all of that in French."

Holly grinned at her mother. "Only sometimes."

"Well, I'm glad things are going well with you two. How's the independent study going?"

"Not too bad. I'm still kind of trying to figure out how to work everything in, but I feel like I'm understanding it better now. Plus, Dominic said he talked to his uncle, who teaches chemistry and physics, who said that he would be willing to help me if I needed it."

Sara smiled. "I'm happy to hear that. Now, get some sleep, I'm sure my sister has another fun-filled rehearsal planned for tomorrow so you'll need it."

"'Night, Mom."

"Goodnight.  _De beaux rêves_."

* * *

The next morning, Shelby was only slightly surprised to see Sasha's parents walk in.

"Cindy, Victor," Shelby greeted with a nod.

"We're concerned about what happened in rehearsal yesterday. Sasha said it was your daughter who kicked her out," Cindy began.

Shelby nodded. "Rachel is my daughter, but she's also the female lead. You can ask any of the other members of my team and they will assure you that Rachel is treated like any other member of the team at school and in rehearsal. I don't play favorites and I don't tolerate bad attitudes."

"Sasha told us  _she_  was still the lead," Victor added.

"She was never officially the female lead. The spot was temporarily filled by different members of the team until Rachel joined. They all agreed that they wanted her to be the female lead. That's how she came to be the female lead. She noticed that Sasha wasn't pulling her weight, and once she found out the reason why, confronted your daughter about it. Needless to say, Sasha was none-too-pleased about being called out on it."

"I think we should maybe consider a different school for her. Obviously you won't get rid of your daughter or your niece, who shouldn't even be on the team if you ask me,' Cindy continued.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shelby told her. "Sasha has a lot of potential; she just needs to learn to apply herself better and she needs to stop purposely causing problems."

"Not everyone is going to get everything right away; you can't expect that of her."

"I'm not. Rachel even told her yesterday that if she was having difficulty with the steps or the lyrics to let her know so that she could find someone to help her."

"You have to admit, Sasha's never dealt with competition very well," Victor said to his wife.

Cindy sighed. "That doesn't mean she has to be ridiculed."

"No one is ridiculing her. She was asked to go home yesterday and was given two options to think about: either change her attitude or re-think her decision to join the team," Shelby informed them.

"I still don't know if we should keep our daughter here."

"Then I'm afraid I have to ask that she stays home until her decision is made."

"What? Why?"

"Because if she thinks she has the option to go somewhere else, she'll try to use it to her advantage and it will only bring the rest of the team down. I can't have that. You're both professionals, part of professional teams, I'm sure you understand."

As Cindy merely looked at Shelby with an expression mirroring her daughter's from the previous day, Victor nodded. "We understand," he assured her as he led his wife from the office.

"That sounds like it went well," A new voice said from the doorway.

Shelby looked up to see Emma standing where Cindy and Victor had previously been.

"About as well as I expected," Shelby answered with a sigh and a shrug.

Emma took one of the now-vacant seats in front of Shelby's desk. "Speaking of expecting..." she said softly.

"You're pregnant?" Shelby asked.

Emma nodded. "I'm so scared, Shelby. I've just started to truly feel my OCD is under control. What if I poison my baby by cleaning him or her too much or something like that?"

"What did Carl say when you told him?"

"He was excited. He kept assuring me I'd be a wonderful mother."

Shelby smiled at her friend. "I have to agree with your husband. I think you'll be a wonderful mother, and I don't think you'll poison your baby."

"I want you to be the god-mother."

"What?"

"I don't have any siblings, and Carl has already chosen his brother for the god-father. If something happens to us, I want to know that there will be someone there to take care of our child. I can't think of anyone better than you, Shelby. You've been such a good friend to me, and I've seen how you are with Rachel and Jesse, and the rest of the kids on your team."

"Someone has to be there to teach the kid how to sing and dance," Shelby said with a smile.

Emma returned her friend's smile as she rounded the desk to hug her. "Thank you. I'm going to go call Carl now. I'll see you at lunch."

Shelby continued to smile as she watched her friend leave. Her smile turned to a frown when she started thinking about herself at Emma's age and belatedly wondered what could have been. With a shake of her head, she quickly got up and grabbed what she needed for her first class, determined to not think about it anymore.

* * *

"Have you decided on movies for our musical marathon this week?" Jesse asked Rachel as they walked into school.

"I have a few in mind, but no definite selection yet," Rachel answered. "Someone distracted me last night when I was going to go through my list."

Jesse grinned at her. "You like making out with me and you know it."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Such an ego. Maybe I should take your sister up on her offer of stories about your childhood, bring you down a few notches," she teased.

Jesse laughed. "You wouldn't do something that cruel. You love me too much."

"Are you two seriously arguing about how much you love each other?" Holly asked as she and Dominic walked up to the dramatic duo.

"They have to argue about something new," Dominic reasoned. "The only other thing I've ever seen them argue about is music."

"I have a hard time following those sometimes," Holly told him, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"I thought you loved me too," Rachel said with her best attempt at a pout.

"I love you like a sister," Holly returned with a grin. "That's why I get to tease you more than anyone else."

"Great."

* * *

"What's the big emergency that I needed to come over  _right away_?" Jesse asked his sister as he walked into the living room at her house.

"It's about your college fund," Genevieve told him.

"What about it?" Jesse asked as he took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Dad tried to take it away."

"You said tried. He didn't succeed?"

Genevieve shook her head. "I guess when he created it, he never thought you wouldn't chose business or law, so he made it so that the only person who could touch it is you. He could add as much money to it as he wanted, but the only person allowed to use the money is you. I had Leroy double check."

Jesse stared at his sister for a minute. "What if he finds a way to get to it?"

"That was my concern, too. I talked to Grandma about it, and she said she has a trust of her own for you. She also said she'd help you with any other costs that come up, so you don't have to ask Mom and Dad for money anymore."

"That…surprises me. I didn't think she liked my choice of a major any more than Mom and Dad did."

"A few years ago, I'm not sure she would have," Genevieve told him, "but she's had time to think things over, and she realized our happiness was more important than anything. She doesn't want you to stress too much while you're going to school. I'm sure you'll probably get scholarships anyway, but just in case…you don't need to worry about the cost."

"Where's Grandma?" Jesse asked after a few seconds.

"Bali," Genevieve responded. "She flew out there to scold Dad in person."

"She did?"

Genevieve nodded. "She'll be back tomorrow."

Jesse grinned at his sister. "Is it bad that I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall for that particular conversation?"

Genevieve laughed. "No. I told Grandma I want a full report on how it went."

"I'm sure Rachel, Hiram, Leroy, and Shelby will want to hear it, too. Maybe I should talk to Hiram about you and Grandma coming over for dinner tomorrow. Is Joel going to be back by then?"

Genevieve shook her head. "No. He's still in Florida. I don't know when he's coming home."

"I'm sorry, Gen. I know you miss him. I'm sure it's going to be hell for the next two years since I'll have to be so far away from Rachel."

"You'll find a way to make it work. You love each other too much not to."

Jesse nodded as he leaned over to hug his sister. "I have homework, so I need to get back home, but I'll let you know about dinner tomorrow, okay?"

"Home?" Genevieve asked with a smile as she watched her brother stand up.

Jesse returned his sister's smile. "Yeah. Home. Home is wherever Rachel is, which just happens to be Shelby's house right now."

Genevieve stood and hugged her brother once more. "I'm glad you found her, Jesse."

"Me, too."

* * *

**Translations:**

_Charme = charm_

_Dansons = let's dance_

_mala actitud = bad attitude_

_De beaux rêves = sweet dreams_


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, St. Berry would still be canon.

* * *

"What did Genevieve say?" Rachel asked as Jesse walked into her room after returning from his sister's.

"My dad tried to take away my trust fund."

"That's horrible."

Jesse nodded as Rachel walked into his arms. After pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she hugged him tightly, he spoke again. "He couldn't touch it. Your Dad double checked. Gen said she wanted to get the full story before she said anything to me."

Rachel tilted her head back to look up at her boyfriend, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "She's really embracing the big sister role."

Jesse returned his girlfriend's smile. "She is. I can't thank you enough for convincing me to hear her out."

"I think you would have listened eventually. I just helped you get there faster, and you're welcome. I've enjoyed getting to know her, too."

"She already loves you like a sister, you know."

Rachel smiled. "She does?"

"Yes. She always asks about you. She and I were hoping we could talk your parents into having another big family dinner once my grandma gets back. That way everyone can hear the story of how my father was berated by his mother."

Rachel giggled. "I'm sure they'd agree to it. Daddy was just talking about it tonight, actually."

"Think he'd object to a few more people? I'd hate to leave out Holly and Dominic."

"I doubt he'd have a problem with it. You know my Daddy; he loves to have people to cook for."

Jesse chuckled. "That's very true. I'm sure my Grandma will call when she's back in town so we should work on a guest list and maybe even find a musical to watch with everyone."

Rachel nodded. "Speaking of musicals…since we both have all of our homework done already, do you think we have time for one before we have to go to sleep?"

Jesse glanced at the clock. "I think so. I'll meet you back here in about twenty or so?"

"Your stuff is already in my bathroom, why don't we just complete our routines together?"

Jesse leaned down to brush his lips with Rachel's before he took her hand and began to lead her towards the bathroom.

* * *

After his French class was dismissed for the day, Dominic was about to walk out the door when he heard his name being called by his teacher, Madame Celeste. Turning around, he walked back over to her with a confused look on his face.

"Did I do something wrong?" Dominic asked.

"I noticed you went from almost failing my class to getting near-perfect marks within just a couple of weeks. I'm curious about what caused the turn-around," Celeste explained.

Dominic was about to answer when he saw Holly out of the corner of his eye, peering in from just outside the doorway. With a smile for his girlfriend, he motioned for her to join him.

"My class got out early, I figured I'd meet you here and we could walk to dance class together," Holly explained as she walked up to her boyfriend. Turning to Madame Celeste, she said, " _Je suis désolé de vous interrompre_."

Seeing his teacher's surprise, Dominic bit back a laugh. "Madame Celeste, this is my girlfriend, Holly. She's been helping me."

"I've been speaking French since I was little," Holly explained. "My dad is a French interpreter at the hospital in Akron. He started teaching me pretty much as soon as I could talk."

Celeste smiled. "Well, I'm happy to see the improvement. I know you two have a class to get to, so I won't keep you, I just wanted to make sure things were going okay."

"Don't worry; I'll keep him in line," Holly said with a smile before grabbing Dominic's hand and leading him out of the room.

* * *

"No Sasha today?" Holly asked her cousin as they walked into the auditorium together.

Rachel looked around and then shrugged. "I guess not. I didn't see her in my mom's class either."

"It wouldn't break my heart to see her leave."

"Except for the fact that it leaves us one member short of being an even number of males and females."

Holly frowned. "I hate it when you're right."

Rachel giggled. "I'm sure you'll survive."

"Rachel, good, you're here," Nina said as she practically ran up to the two cousins.

"What's going on?"

"Sasha transferred."

Rachel stared at her teammate for a minute before she spoke. "Do my mom and Jesse know?"

"Your mom is the one who told me. She said she'd tell Jesse, but she wanted me to find you and tell you."

"Figures she'd ditch us only about a month before the first big competition of the year," Holly muttered.

"We'll figure something out," Rachel said as confidently as she could manage.

"Dominic's step-sister dances. She could fill-in for the time being," Holly suggested.

"She doesn't go to Carmel."

"She could, though. Dominic said things have been pretty strained with her and his mom. Both of his parents and his step-parents were at his house yesterday talking about her potentially transferring."

"We can all re-learn choreography if we have to," Nina said, trying her best to be helpful.

Rachel sighed. "I know, I just would like to avoid that option if at all possible. One person learning new choreography is a lot different than the entire team."

* * *

"Mom, I'm home!" Holly called as she and Dominic walked into the house after rehearsal.

Sara walked down the stairs, smiling when she was both teens. "How was rehearsal?" she asked.

"I swear Aunt Shelby likes to torture us sometimes. We're trying to learn new choreography since one of our members quit as of this morning."

"The one Rachel sent home yesterday?"

Holly nodded. "Can't you convince Uncle Oliver to let Tasha transfer to Carmel? You know she's miserable at St. Mary's. She'd be a perfect fit."

Sara handed her daughter her phone. "I've been trying to tell him that since last year. He insists it's where she needs to be."

"I'm lost," Dominic admitted as Holly quickly found the number she was looking for and held the phone up to her ear.

"My old dance partner, Oliver. He and his wife own a dance school in Tallmadge. His wife also teaches at St. Mary's Catholic school there, so they give them a steep discount on tuition. They're second behind Carmel in academics. First for private schools. Their oldest daughter, Natasha, who goes by Tasha, inherited her parents' love of dance."

"Why wouldn't they send her to Carmel, then?" Dominic wondered.

"St. Mary's is closer, more convenient. Natalia likes having Tasha close."

"Why does she call him Uncle Oliver?"

"He's been around her entire life. He's one of my best friends. He likes to say that I have to keep him around so my dancing doesn't get too rusty."

"You still dance?"

"Every once in a great while. Shelby said Carmel's principal has been trying to work something out with Oliver to get him to teach a ballroom dance class there."

"Did Shelby ever dance?"

"A little. She enjoyed singing and acting more, but she took lessons."

Dominic nodded. "Just curious. She doesn't talk about her past much."

Sara opened her mouth to say more, but was cut off by her daughter.

"He wants to talk to you."

Taking the phone from her daughter, Sara raised it to her ear. "Oliver?" she asked.

"Is Tasha the other little girl I've seen in pictures with you?" Dominic asked.

Holly nodded. "Come on; let's go upstairs while she's distracted," she said, grabbing her boyfriend's hand and leading him to her room.

* * *

"Who am I meeting with tomorrow?" Shelby asked her sister, trying to figure out the rather jumbled story.

"Oliver, his wife, Natalia, and their daughter, Natasha. Tasha is a dancer," Sara clarified.

"Your old dance partner? That Oliver?"

"What other Oliver do I know?"

"Sorry. I'm just a little surprised, that's all. I don't generally have my older sister scouting potential members of my team for me."

"This one was all your niece. I have no idea what she said to Oliver, but whatever it was, it worked."

"I guess we'll have to see how tomorrow goes. Is this Tasha their only child?"

"No. They also have Alec, Marina, Dmitry, and Tatiana."

"Okay. Good to know. I need to talk to Rachel and Jesse so I need to get going. Thanks for the heads up."

"Shelby…"

"Not talking about Jack, Sara."

"He just wants to talk…."

Shelby cut her sister's last line off with a sigh. Jack was the least of her worries right now, although she had to admit she was curious as to what he had to say. With a shake of her head, she quickly made her way to the music room to talk to Rachel and Jesse.

* * *

Shelby was looking over some music Rachel had selected as potential songs for their duet in the upcoming holiday concert when she heard a knock on her door. Looking up, she was immediately at a loss for words as she realized who was standing there.

"Hello, Shelby."

"What…what are you doing here?"

"It's not like it isn't public knowledge where you work. Your team is rather famous in the show choir circuit."

"I know that. I just don't understand what exactly you want from me."

"I want another chance."

"No. You had your chance and you walked away from me."

"I only did it because I thought it's what you wanted."

"Did you ever think to ask me if I really meant what I said? I was mad! What did you expect me to say?!"

"I didn't know you went looking for me until recently. If I had, maybe your daughter would be  _our_  daughter."

Shelby scowled. "I don't regret having Rachel. I wouldn't want her to be any different than she is. She has two dads who love her very much as well."

"Two dads?" Jack asked, clearly confused.

"Yes. I answered an ad in the paper sixteen years ago for a surrogate. I didn't know until after I'd answered it that it was Hiram and his husband were the ones who were looking for the surrogate."

"Hiram? Hiram Berry?"

"Yes. Hiram Berry. I involved him and his husband, Leroy, in the pregnancy as much as I could. In return, they asked me if I'd like to be a part of Rachel's life."

"So you never…married anyone else?"

"I never even thought about it. I had Rachel, and then I went to New York for a while. That didn't go as well as I planned, so I ended up back here. I was offered the job at Carmel and the rest is history. I have a hard time believing you meant everything you told me when I saw your engagement announcement with my own eyes."

"I didn't marry her."

"I know, but you almost did. You proposed to someone else, Jack. All that talk of soul mates, of us being meant to be, it was just bullshit. You didn't just break my heart, you shattered it."

"You were still obsessed with Blake! How was I supposed to compete with that?!"

"I just wanted to be his friend, that's all! I wanted  _you_! I chose  _you_! It's  _you_  who didn't choose  _me_."

"Shelby-"

"No. You have to listen to me this time! I went looking for you, stupidly thinking you still loved me as much as I loved you! Then I saw that announcement the day I was supposed to leave! How do you think that made me feel?!"

"I'm  _sorry_ , okay?! I fucked up. Like I said, if I had known you were looking for me, I would have told you where I was!"

"Just leave. I'm done talking to you. You walked out of my life once, I'm sure you'll have no problem doing it again. I have a class to teach."

"I never stopped loving you. Just thought you might like to know that," Jack said before turning to walk out of the office.

Shelby sunk back into her chair as she willed the tears to stop forming in her eyes.

"Shelby, are you okay?" asked a familiar voice from the doorway.

Shelby looked up to see her sister standing there. "What are you doing here?" she asked as Sara shut the door and walked towards her.

"Holly forgot her keys. Nick brought them to the hospital on his way to work, and I had a meeting nearby, so I was going to see if you would give them to her when you see her."

"Did you tell him where I worked?"

Sara set her daughter's keys down on her sister's desk before she spoke. "No. I did tell him you weren't ready to see him yet, though."

"I'm not sure what he thought he'd accomplish by ambushing me."

Sara sent her sister a sympathetic look. "I don't know, either. I'm sure he wasn't planning on you yelling at him, though."

"You could hear that?" Shelby asked with a wince.

"No. I know you, though. I do think you need to hear him out, but only when you're ready to listen. I know you have a lot on your plate right now, and I'll do my best to keep Jack at bay."

"I sent him away again, Sara."

Sara sighed. "I know, but he shouldn't have been here in the first place. Are you going to be okay?"

Shelby closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before opening them again. "I'll be fine. Holly should be in the choir room by now, so you can bring her the keys. Tell them I'll be there in a minute."

Sara hugged her sister. "Okay," she said as she picked up the keys and walked towards the choir room.

* * *

Holly was talking with Rachel and Santana when she saw her mother step into the room.

"Why is Aunt Sara here?" Rachel asked her cousin.

"My keys," Holly said before she walked down the steps towards her mother.

"You're lucky you caught your father before he left for work," Sara told her daughter as she handed her the keys.

"I told Dominic it's his fault for rushing me," Holly replied.

Sara laughed. "Of course. Your dad has a late meeting and I have some work to catch up so we'll be home late. Hiram said you're welcome to come over for dinner if you like, just text me and let me know where you'll be. Okay?"

Holly nodded. "Okay, Mom. Thanks. Uncle Hiram's cooking sounds really good right now, so I'll probably go over there, but I'll let you know for sure. Have you seen Aunt Shelby? It's not like her to be late."

"I'm afraid that's my fault. I distracted her. She'll be here in just a minute. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Mom."

Sara watched as Holly walked back over to her friends, immediately re-joining the conversation as she deposited her keys in her bag. Suddenly realizing Shelby had an ulterior motive to sending her to give Holly the keys herself; she shook her head as she walked out of the room.

"Did you find Holly?" Shelby asked as they passed each other in the hall.

"Yes…and thank you."

Shelby looked confused. "For what?"

"For giving me an excuse to see with my own eyes how well Holly is doing here."

Shelby smiled at her sister. "You're welcome," she said with a laugh before she entered the choir room.

* * *

"You're an idiot."

"So I've been told."

"Don't get smart with me, Jackson."

"You know I hate that name,  _Laurel_."

Laura crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at the man who might as well be her brother-in-law. "You know, I really wish Jason were here right now. I told you, Sara told you, Jason told, even  _Joel_  told you not to do something stupid like go try and talk to her right now! Did your selective hearing kick in or something? Please explain your rationale behind that dumbass move."

Jack sighed. "I just wanted to  _talk_  to her!"

"You just moved two steps back instead of one step forward, you know."

"So I'm just supposed to wait around until she decides she's ready? I didn't forget how stubborn she is, Laura."

"Sara said she had things under control and they were making progress towards her agreeing to see you. You're just lucky you ran into the more forgiving of the two Corcoran sisters."

Jack glared at his long-time friend. "She's going to have to talk to me eventually. Genevieve and Joel are going to be married. She's practically become a second mother to the girl."

Laura shook her head. "Give her time, Jack."

"She has a daughter."

"I know. She's dating Genevieve's brother."

Jack blinked a couple of times as he took in the information he was just given. "Really. That I didn't know."

"Seriously? Genevieve talks about Rachel a lot. You didn't put the pieces together?"

"Well I didn't think Shelby's Rachel and Genevieve's future sister-in-law were the same person. It's not like Rachel is an uncommon name."

"You know, if you weren't such good friends with my husband and my son wasn't so fond of you, I'd have sent you back to New York weeks ago."

"There's nothing left for me there."

Laura rolled her eyes. "Maybe I should make you start paying rent," she muttered as she walked away.

* * *

At the beginning of rehearsal a few days later, Rachel was surprised to see Sasha walk in. Grabbing Jesse's hand to get his attention, she motioned towards where the blonde-haired girl was standing.

"What are you doing here?" Giselle asked icily.

Sasha ignored her and turned to Rachel. "I'm sorry for what I said the other day. I couldn't survive two days at that place, let alone a year."

Rachel kept her face neutral as she spoke. "What changed your mind?" she wondered.

"Some black girl threatened to kick my ass if I tried to take any of her solos and the rest of the team treated me like dirt, including their so-called choir director. He was too busy trying to make everyone  _bond_  to care that we only have a month until Sectionals."

"We just spent the last two days re-learning choreography because you decided to leave. Why would it be worth our time to let you back in and go back to what we were doing before?" Jesse asked.

"I said I was sorry, and I meant it. That place was hell. I begged my parents to let me come home. I'm begging you to let me back on the team. I'll stay quiet and do as I'm told, I just…I guess I didn't realize what I had until I didn't have it anymore."

Rachel exchanged a look with her boyfriend before she turned back to the blonde-haired girl. "I'd like a few minutes to discuss this with the rest of the team."

"You didn't need a few minutes to discuss when you sent me home!" Sasha argued.

"Do you want your plea to be considered or not?" Jesse inquired.

Sasha closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll be outside."

Once Sasha had left the room, Rachel and Jesse turned to the rest of their team.

"Simply for the fact that she knows the choreography and the songs, and it is so close to Sectionals, I'd say we give it a trial run," Andrea spoke first.

"We could make her do some funkification," Giselle suggested.

"No," Rachel said simply.

"No…what?"

"No funkification. For anyone. We don't need to do it, regardless of whether or not we let Sasha back in. Anyone who disagrees can leave now because I don't want you here."

"Jesse…"

"I agree with Rachel. I've never liked it, never participated in it after my freshman year. I've tried to discourage you. You're lucky Shelby never found out about half the shit you've pulled or she would have kicked you off the team in a heartbeat."

Giselle scowled. "It gives us a competitive advantage by messing with their heads," she argued.

"I have better ideas for competitive advantage," Rachel told her. "And we're not discussing that right now. We're discussing whether or not to let Sasha back in. Ultimately, it's my Mom's decision, but she's always saying how we make our decisions as a team."

"I have to agree with Andrea," Nina put in.

"If you can get her to stop stepping on my toes, I'm fine with it," Peter agreed.

"I vote no," Holly said.

Rachel turned to her cousin. "Why?" she wanted to know.

"She's had a bad attitude from the first day I met her. I don't know if that's just a reflection of a problem she has with me, but you and Aunt Shelby are always saying how a bad attitude isn't welcome here and yet she constantly gets away with it."

"I'm kind of in favor of the trial run. A probation of sorts," Dominic added.

"Santana? Noah?" Rachel asked.

"I'm with Holly," Santana answered.

Puck shrugged. "I agree with Dominic," he said.

"I have no doubt Mercedes did threaten to kick her ass," Kurt added. "I'm pretty sure she learned her lesson."

"I can see both sides," Blaine put in, "but I think we could use the extra dancer and the extra voice. Not that we absolutely need it, but I think she's being sincere."

"She needs to know she can't pull the same bullshit she did last time," Holly said to her cousin.

"How long of a trial period are we talking?" Santana wanted to know.

"Until after Sectionals," Jesse suggested.

"How do we know she isn't going to go back to the way she was after that?" Chris asked.

"If she does, she's done," Shelby answered, inserting herself into the team's conversation.

"I'll trade spots with you," Nina said to Holly. "You can be closer to the front, which you should be anyway. That way you don't have to be so close to Sasha, either."

"Fine," Holly said with a sigh.

"I'll go all Lima Heights Adjacent on her ass if she misbehaves," Santana assured the older girl.

Rachel giggled. "And Sasha thinks Mercedes is scary," she said.

"So we've reached a decision, then?" Shelby asked.

"Jesse and I will go talk to her so you can get rehearsal started," Rachel volunteered.

Shelby nodded. "Okay, places everyone. Peter, why don't you sit here with me while Rachel and Jesse talk to Sasha. We'll run through the choreography."

* * *

Outside in the hall, Sasha was sitting on one of the couches while she waited for the verdict. She'd done more apologizing in the last two days than she could ever remember doing before.

"Sasha."

Hearing Rachel's voice, Sasha stood and walked over to where she and Jesse stood.

"The team has agreed to a trial period," Jesse began.

"A trial period? What does that mean?" Sasha asked.

"Just listen," Rachel instructed. "I understand how horrible McKinley is, and how much of a bitch Mercedes can be, but I have to think about what's best for the team first. A trial period means exactly what you think it does. No one appreciates a quitter, which is exactly what you portrayed yourself as. Your bad attitude needs to stop. You need to cooperate. If you need help, all you have to do is ask. No one is going to think less of you just because you asked for help."

"How long is this trial period?"

"Until after Sectionals," Jesse answered.

Sasha nodded. "I promise to be better. So long as I never have to go back to that hell they call a high school."

Rachel smiled. "I completely understand. I want you to promise me you'll try your best to actually do what you say. I know everyone has times when they don't get along, but Jesse and I would rather you come to us, or go to my Mom, about it rather than be bitchy."

"I just to call my parents and then I'll be in."

"We'll see you in a few, then," Rachel said with a smile before she took Jesse's hand and led him back into the auditorium.

Once she was positive Rachel and Jesse were out of earshot, Sasha quickly dialed a familiar number. "I'm back in."

* * *

"Holly," Rachel said as she saw her cousin throw things into her locker.

"What?" she snapped.

"Are you mad at me or something?"

Holly sighed. "No. I'm just frustrated."

"With school? Dominic? Your parents?"

"I wanted to go one of my Uncle Oliver's dance shows; I figured maybe we could get some inspiration from some of their moves. I think we could do it, and it goes along with your whole competitive advantage thing."

"Aunt Sara won't let you go?"

"She says I won't be able to see much anyway, so there's really no point."

Rachel was silent for a moment as she thought of alternative options. "Do you think he'd stop by one day and show us some things? If my Mom agrees, that is."

Holly shrugged. "I don't know. I could ask. Do you think your Mom would go for it?"

"I think she would…or I think I could talk her into it if she doesn't."

"Well, talk to her about it and let me know."

"I will," Rachel assured her. "Are you coming over for dinner? You can invite Dominic if you want…I'm sure my parents won't mind."

"Uncle Hiram's cooking does sound really good right now. Let's go find the boys and get going,  _J'ai faim_."

Rachel giggled as she looped her arm through her cousin's. "Me, too."

* * *

"Sweetie, is that you?" Hiram called from the living room as he heard the front door open.

"Yes, Daddy. Jesse, Holly, and Dominic are here, too," Rachel answered as she and the other three teens walked into the living room.

Hiram stood. "I guess I should start dinner, then. Is there anything in particular you'd like?" he asked the group.

"Whatever you think, Daddy. Did Dad leave already?"

Hiram nodded. "Just a few minutes ago. Do you know when your Mom's coming home?"

Rachel shook her head. "I'm not sure."

"I'll give her a call and find out. I assume your parents know where you are, Dominic?"

Dominic nodded. "I talked to my step-mom after rehearsal. She said as long as I'm not home too late that it was fine."

"Is your sister's fiancé home yet, Jesse?"

Jesse shook his head. "She isn't sure when he'll be home. Grandma stopped in North Carolina to visit some friends so she isn't back yet, either."

"If she hasn't eaten yet, she's welcome to join us."

"I'll give her a call."

"That's got to royally suck," Holly commented as Jesse made his way into the other room to call his sister.

"Not knowing when your significant other will be home?" Dominic asked, earning a nod from his girlfriend in response.

"It's got to be lonely being in that house all by herself," Rachel added.

"Gen said to tell you thank you for the invitation and she'll be over in a few minutes," Jesse said as he walked back into the room.

Hiram smiled and nodded. "I'm a little low on supplies, so how does a vegan pizza sound?"

"Sounds delicious, Daddy," Rachel answered.

"I don't care, I'm just  _faim_ ," Holly replied.

"So dramatic," Dominic said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

Hiram chuckled, making his way towards the entryway just as the doorbell rang.

"Genevieve, I'm so glad you decided to join us," he said as he opened the door.

Genevieve smiled. "Thank you for inviting me. Do you need any help cooking?"

"No, but I'd love some company," Hiram answered.

"I'll be right in. I just want to say hi to Jesse."

Hiram smiled and nodded. "You know where to find me," he said, turning to walk down the hall towards the kitchen.

* * *

Walking into the living room, Genevieve saw that the group of teens had settled around the coffee table.

"I don't miss that," she said as she approached the group.

Jesse stood up to give his sister a hug. "Any word from Joel?" he asked.

Genevieve shrugged. "He's still working, so that's good, but I wish I knew when he'd be back. His parents and uncle are in town, but he's not here."

"Did Grandma say when she'd be back?"

"Friday, I think. She said something about wanting a musical night."

"Rach and I invited her to our weekly musical night. She seemed pretty excited about it."

"You're welcome to join us, too," Rachel put in from her seat beside Jesse.

Genevieve smiled at her future sister-in-law. "I'd like that. Thank you. I'm hoping to get a few more recipes from your Daddy and I see you all have homework to do, so I'll let you be," she said before walking towards the kitchen.

"Have you two decided on a duet for the holiday concert yet?" Dominic asked as Jesse sat back down beside Rachel.

Rachel shook her head. "We've narrowed it down to our top five, but we haven't made a decision yet."

"Seriously?" Holly asked.

Rachel blinked at her cousin. "What's so strange about that?"

Holly laughed. "Nothing, considering it's you we're talking about. I still have nightmares about all those lists you used to insist I make when we were little."

"I was a very organized child," Rachel said innocently, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"I think your lists are cute," Jesse told her.

Rachel beamed at him, but was stopped from saying anything by Holly's latest retort. "You have to, you're her boyfriend."

"I really do think they're adorable," Jesse insisted.

"I have no doubt that you do," Holly told him with a laugh.

"We were thinking the four of us could do a number together-you two sing while we dance," Dominic said, steering the conversation back to the original topic.

"That could be fun. Did you have any particular song in mind?" Rachel asked.

Dominic shook his head. "I haven't found one I like enough yet, but once I do, I'll let you know."

Holly laid her hands flat on top of her books. "I say we talk about Halloween costumes."

Rachel sent her cousin a confused look. "What about them?"

"Carmel has a Halloween costume contest every year. Either on Halloween day or the Friday before, everyone dresses up and they announce the winner at the end of the day. You have to get your picture taken by a yearbook photographer. We happen to have two in Vocal Adrenaline," Jesse explained.

"What did you have in mind?" Rachel asked.

As Holly outlined her costume ideas, Rachel jotted down notes so she could make sure to have all of the information she needed when she presented the ideas to the rest of the group.

* * *

"I was able to get some more recipes a couple of weeks ago when we went to Lima, so I have some new ones if you'd like to look at them," Hiram said as he saw Genevieve walk into the kitchen.

Genevieve smiled as she took a seat on a stool at the counter. "I'd like that, thank you."

"How goes redecorating?"

"It goes. I just finished the top floor. I touched up some paint in Jesse's room, so his was the easiest."

"What do you have left?"

"I wanted to repaint the kitchen and the living room. I changed out the furniture pretty much as soon as I moved in, but it doesn't quite feel like it's mine yet."

"That's understandable. I know Shelby said she wanted to talk to you, they're letting a few teachers repaint and redecorate their classrooms and she wanted to arrange a meeting between you and Carmel's principal."

"Could be interesting."

"That's kind of what Shelby was thinking. Piper, that's Carmel's principal, is relatively flexible as long as everything stays within budget too."

"Who's the boy with Rachel, Jesse, and Holly?" Genevieve wondered, changing the subject.

"Holly's boyfriend, Dominic. He and Jesse have been friends for years, but from what I understand, this is the most they've hung out in a while. Those four comprise only half of their group. The other four must have had plans tonight."

Genevieve laughed. "They're a fun group to be around, I'm glad Jesse has them. Is that French I hear?"

This time it was Hiram's turn to laugh. "Yes. Holly is bilingual. She tends to speak both languages at the same time."

"My college roommate did that, too. Except she spoke Russian and English. When she got mad, she'd start ranting in Russian. I didn't understand a word, but it was interesting to watch."

Hiram laughed again. "I bet. Do you still get together with your former roommates?"

Genevieve nodded and then began to exchange stories with Hiram about college roommates as he finished preparing the food.

* * *

Translations:

_Je suis désolé de vous interrompre = I'm sorry to interrupt you_

_J'ai faim = I'm hungry_

_Faim = hungry_


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, it would be filled with lots of epic St. Berry duets.

* * *

After dinner, Genevieve was about to leave when she felt a hand on her arm.

"I'll walk you," Jesse offered, not quite ready to relinquish his sister's company yet.

Genevieve smiled at her brother. "I'd like that."

"I'm glad you were able to come over for dinner," Rachel said as she moved to hug the older girl.

"Me, too. Maybe you and I can have a girls' dinner sometime?"

Rachel beamed at the older girl. "I'd like that. I'd walk with you and Jesse, but I offered to drive Holly home since Dominic needed to leave early, and I don't want to get back too late."

"That's understandable. You think of some dates that would work and let me know, and then we'll go from there. I'll give you my number."

As the two girls exchanged numbers, Jesse noticed Holly walk up beside him.

"Everything okay?" he asked her.

Holly shrugged. "Fine. Tell Rachel I'll be waiting by her car," she said before walking out the door.

Seeing her cousin walk out the door without saying anything, Rachel sent a confused look to her boyfriend.

"I think it has something to do with Dominic leaving so suddenly," Jesse said with a shrug.

"I'll get her to talk on the way to her house," Rachel responded, giving him a quick kiss before making her way outside.

* * *

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked, unknowingly repeating her boyfriend's question to her cousin from earlier.

Holly sighed, knowing she wouldn't get away with a simple "fine" with her cousin. "I just wish he'd say no sometimes. I get that he wants to be helpful, and he feels responsible because he's the oldest, but it's like he's not allowed to have his own life sometime."

Rachel sent her cousin a sympathetic look as she began to steer the car down the road. "You said things weren't so great with his step-sister and her dad. Maybe she needs her brother right now. Did Dominic say what was going on?"

"No, he just said he'd call me later."

"Then I'm sure he will. He didn't look happy to be leaving so suddenly, either."

"I know he wasn't. He just feels…obligated…to help. Like I said, I get that, but I still don't understand what's so important that he needed to be there  _tout de suite_."

"Right away?"

Holly smiled. "Good job, cousin."

"I try. Anyway, I'm sure he'll tell you what's going on once he finds out for himself."

"I wish he lived with us, like Jesse lives with you and Aunt Shelby."

"It's nice, I'll admit that, but it also makes me worried about next year."

Holly sent her cousin a confused look. "Why?"

Rachel sighed. "Because. He'll be hundreds of miles away this time next year. If I get so used to having him around all the time, how am I going to deal when he goes away to college? He offered to go to OSU for two years and be the assistant coach next year, but I can't let him do that."

"You do realize you two have only been together a few months, right?"

"He's my soul mate. There's never going to be anyone else for me. I know I'm still young, but that's how I feel. That's how we both feel."

"Then I wouldn't worry too much. Jesse doesn't strike me as the type to say something he doesn't mean."

"He's not. I believe him, that's not in question, I'm just trying to simultaneously enjoy the time I have with him and try to figure out what I'm going to do next year."

"Don't think about it too much. It's only October, Rachel. Jesse doesn't leave until August. You have plenty of time to make memories to get you through the time apart, and you know as well as I do that Jesse will come home every chance he gets. Plus, it's not like New York isn't close enough that he couldn't come home for a weekend, or you couldn't go there for a weekend. If Dominic and I are still together, and he ends up in New York with Jesse, maybe we could even drive together sometime."

"What do you mean  _if_  you and Dominic are still together?"

Holly shrugged. "We just got together, we admitted to being in love with each other pretty quickly. What if this isn't the real thing? What if it's just a high school thing?"

"Jesse and I moved pretty quickly ourselves, but deep down, I know it's right. That we're meant to be. Can you picture your future with Dominic?"

Holly nodded. "Yeah. I told my mom I was pretty sure I'm going to end up marrying him…and that was before we got together."

"You know, I kind of wish boys talked to each other like we do sometimes. Then I might be able to get some more information out of Jesse."

Holly laughed. "I know, right?"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. With Jesse, I just…knew. He understands every part of me, and plus, he thinks my crazy lists are adorable."

Holly laughed again. "It  _must_  be love."

"Speaking of love, I have a favor to ask."

"Am I going to regret asking what that favor is?"

"I want to meet Jack."

Holly stared at her cousin. "Your mom would kill you."

Rachel shook her head. "I don't think so. I know he came to school to see her, which is the real reason she was late."

"I know my mom's been in touch with him, but I don't know if he knows about you."

"I have a feeling he does."

"I guess we can talk to my mom about it."

Rachel smiled as she pulled into Holly's driveway. "Good. We're here, so we'll do that now."

"Always an ulterior motive."

* * *

When Holly walked into the house, Sara was surprised to see Rachel not far behind her.

"I thought Dominic was giving you a ride home?" Sara said to her daughter.

"Something came up," Holly answered. "I'm going to head up to bed, I'm tired. Thanks for the ride, cousin."

Sara watched her daughter trudge up the steps before turning back to her niece. "Is everything okay at home?"

Rachel nodded. "Fine. I wanted to talk to you about Jack."

"What about him?"

"I want to meet him."

Sara didn't bother hiding her surprise. "Does Shelby know you want to do this?"

"No, and please don't tell her. I'll tell her, but I want to find out for myself what exactly he wants from her. I love my mom, and I want to see her happy, but I don't want to see her get hurt again."

Sara smiled. "I understand, trust me, I do. I can't guarantee anything, but I'll talk to him about it."

"So he knows about me, then."

"Yes. He knows about your dads, too."

"Was he…mad?"

Sara shook her head. "No. He was surprised, but I think he understands. Actually, I think meeting you would be good for him. Maybe it will help him understand Shelby a little bit better."

"Thanks, Aunt Sara."

"What's going on with Holly?"

"Dominic left kind of suddenly, and I think she was hoping to be able to spend some alone time with him before she had to be home tonight."

Sara sighed. "If I hadn't seen for myself how much he clearly adores her, I'd wonder about what he's doing with her."

"I don't doubt he meant it when he told her that he loves her."

"Yeah, I got that, too. Since you're here, I was actually hoping you would be willing to do  _me_  a favor."

"What is it?" Rachel wondered.

"Your friend…Puck, was it? The one on the football team."

"That's Noah, but he likes to go by Puck. I just refuse to call him that. Puckerman when he makes me angry, but never Puck."

"Yes. Anyway, Liam is on the football team at Kennedy, but he wants to improve. Nick has tried helping him, but football isn't his strong point. Liam seemed to hit it off with your friend…I know he doesn't have a lot of free time, but…"

Rachel smiled. "I'm sure Noah would be more than happy to help. I'll talk to him tomorrow and let you know."

"Thank you. I'll let you go, I'm sure my sister is anxiously waiting for you to return home. Drive safe."

Rachel hugged her aunt. "Thanks. 'Night, Aunt Sara."

* * *

"What's so important that I needed to come home early?" Dominic asked as he walked into the living room.

Penelope exchanged a confused look with her husband before she spoke. "What are you talking about?"

"Melina said you needed me home right away."

"She told us she was going to bed," Anthony told his son.

Dominic sighed. "I might as well go see what she wants now that I'm here. My girlfriend is mad at me, but that's no big deal as long as Melina gets what she wants."

Anthony frowned. "Why is Holly mad?"

"We had plans to go out for dessert. We've been so busy with school and Vocal Adrenaline that we haven't had a lot of time to spend just the two of us. Because I thought something was wrong, I left Jesse's early and had to bail on my plans with Holly," Dominic explained before he left the room.

* * *

"What's the big emergency?" Dominic asked as his sister opened her bedroom door after he'd knocked.

"My dad said I can't come home."

"What?"

Melina wiped away the tears that had begun to form in her eyes again. "He said I can't come home."

"Why?" Dominic asked as he followed his step-sister into the room.

"He said he loves me and he wants me to live with him, but it's not what's best for me. He says I need to be here with my mom and Tony."

"What about school?"

"Didn't you hear? I start at Carmel on Monday. I'm getting my things sent to me."

"I'm sorry you can't go home. I think you'll like Carmel, though."

Melina sighed. "I don't have any friends here. I'm all alone. Carmel doesn't even have a dance team."

Dominic chuckled. "That's because we have a show choir."

"I don't sing."

"Neither does Holly. Not unless Rachel talks her into it anyway."

"I'm sorry I made you leave early…and that I lied about the emergency…I just freaked out and you were the only one I feel like I can talk to."

Dominic hugged his step-sister. "You'll be okay, I promise. Think about joining Vocal Adrenaline, okay? I think Rachel and Jesse are about to kick someone out, and our fist competition is in about a month and a half, so someone who can pick up dance steps quickly would be a definite plus."

"I'll think about it. Thanks…and tell Holly I said I'm sorry."

Dominic nodded. "I will."

* * *

"So is the house totally unrecognizable yet?" Jesse asked as he and his sister began to walk.

Genevieve laughed. "It's still our childhood home. I'm just making it my own. I touched up some paint in your room, but otherwise I left it alone. I know you have a room at Shelby's, but I wanted you to be able to have one in your childhood home, too."

Jesse smiled at his sister. "Thanks. I'm glad you bought the house, you know."

"Really? Why?"

"Rachel said she thought it seemed like a good house for a family. We never had much of one growing up, but I know you want one with Joel. I also know you like Akron. You buying our childhood home makes it easy for us to re-live the good memories we have whenever we want, plus you can make it the home it was meant to be now."

"I never knew you were so sentimental," Genevieve teased.

Jesse shrugged. "Shelby's always saying how her house feels more like a home now that there's so many of us living there, and Rachel's dads' house in Lima just has this homey feeling to it. It kind of made me realize I never really felt that growing up…and that it's not what I want my future kids to feel like."

"So you do want kids. I wondered."

"As long as Rachel is their mother, I'm all for it. It's quite a few years away for us, but it's something we both want. Before Rach, I didn't think I would want kids."

Genevieve nodded in understanding. "I know that feeling. Before Joel and I got together, I wasn't sure, either."

"I guess we lucked out, huh."

"Yes, we did. I'm beat, so I think I'm just going to call Joel and then get to bed. Thanks for walking me home."

Jesse hugged his sister. "You're welcome. 'Night, big sister."

"'Night, little brother," Genevieve returned as Jesse made his way back towards Shelby's.

* * *

"I hope you know who you're messing with,  _chica_."

Sasha turned to face the owner of the voice as she adopted her best innocent look. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Santana."

Santana crossed her arms over her chest as she studied the blonde-haired girl in front of her. "I don't believe you. Maybe I should let you in on  _un pequeño secreto_."

"You don't have any secrets on me."

"Want to bet?"

"Not really, no."

Santana stepped closer and spoke just loud enough for the other girl to hear her. "I heard your  _conversación_  the other day. I know you weren't calling your  _padres_."

"It's none of your business who I do or do not call using my own phone."

"It is when you're going to try and jeopardize a team one of my best friends works her ass off for. You  _will not_  ruin this for her…and for the record, I voted against letting you back in."

Sasha scowled at the dark-haired girl in front of her. "You have no right to listen in on my conversations."

Santana laughed humorlessly. "You aren't as good of an  _actriz_  as you think you are. I heard every word without trying. If you don't quit, I'll go to Shelby with what I know and get your ass kicked off the team."

"You can't prove it. It's your word against mine."

"Do you really think they would believe you over me?"

"I've been a member longer."

"Exactly. They know you better. They know you're a  _mentiroso_."

"I'm not quitting. You won't tell Shelby because that would make you a tattle-tale."

"Are we back in elementary school now? I meant what I said. You mess with Vocal Adrenaline, which means you mess with Rachel, which means you mess with  _me_. You will  _not_  ruin all of her hard work. You're just lucky we're in school and I can't go all Lima Heights adjacent on your ass right now. I can make Mercedes look like a  _cordero_."

Before Sasha could say anything else, she saw Santana turn around and walk away. Still scowling, she quickly grabbed her phone and fired off a text.

_Need a plan B_

* * *

Walking into her coach's office, Santana knocked on the door to get her attention.

"Santana? Is everything okay?" Shelby asked, immediately concerned.

"I need to talk to you," she answered.

"You can shut the door if you want. Are you okay?"

Santana nodded as she took a seat in front of Shelby's desk. "It's about Sasha."

"I know you don't want her on the team…" Shelby started, stopping when she saw Santana shake her head.

"You're right, I don't, but I respect the decision the rest of the team made. I was okay with the trial period thing until I overheard a conversation yesterday."

"After she was let back in?"

Santana nodded again. "Yes. She's still part of the show choir at McKinley, but pretending she's part of Vocal Adrenaline. She didn't call her parents yesterday. She called Mercedes."

"I want to believe you, but I don't have any solid proof. All I have is your word against hers."

Santana took her cell phone out of her bag, and after pressing a few buttons, handed it to her coach.

"You recorded her?" Shelby asked a few minutes later as she handed the phone back to Santana.

"Yes. I had a feeling she was up to something, and I was right. I'm not trying to be vindictive; I'm just trying to protect people I care about. Rachel works her ass off for this team. She and Jesse give everything they have. I don't want to see all of her, and all of the team's, hard work go to waste because someone decided they didn't like a decision."

Shelby sighed. "Can you send that to me, please? I didn't get anywhere the last time I tried talking to her, so I think I need some reinforcements. Aren't you supposed to be in class right now, though?"

"I am," Santana confirmed, "but I really needed to talk to you about this. I know I didn't exactly have it rough at McKinley, but Rachel and Holly aren't the only ones who are happier here. I've really enjoyed being in Vocal Adrenaline so far, and I don't want to see it end because one person decided she was better than everybody else."

"I understand. I'll write you a pass this time, but no more skipping class, okay?"

"I didn't technically skip."

Shelby shook her head as she laughed. "You know what I mean, Santana."

"I know," Santana said with a smile. "Thanks, Shelby."

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Mrs. Hawthorne?" Sasha asked as she walked into the principal's office.

"Yes. Have a seat, Ms. Johnson."

Sasha did as the principal had requested, but didn't say anything else.

"It's been brought to my attention that you have a…conflict of interest regarding continuing your education here at Carmel."

"I don't know what you mean."

"It seems you're still enrolled at McKinley even though you've been attending classes here at Carmel."

"I was told my transfer back went through just fine."

"I never received any transference paperwork of yours. That means you're technically still a student at McKinley. This means that until we get things straightened out, you won't be allowed to continue attending classes here or participating in any extracurricular activities. That includes Vocal Adrenaline."

Sasha silently fumed as she took in the information. She was about to say something when she heard the door open behind her. Whirling, she saw her parents standing there.

"Mom, Dad…" she started.

"It's time to go, Sasha. Your grandparents are waiting to take you back to Lima," Cindy told her daughter.

"No. I won't go."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," Victor added. "We were going to transfer you back, but some of your actions have been brought to attention and they make us believe McKinley is the best place for you."

"I wish you the best of luck with your future education, Ms. Johnson," Piper said as Sasha reluctantly got up and walked towards her parents.

* * *

"I have good news."

"Shelby agreed not to yell at me the next time I see her?"

"Not quite, sorry," Sara answered with a chuckle.

"What is it, then?" Jack wanted to know.

"Rachel wants to meet you."

"Shelby's Rachel?"

"Yes."

"So if I can win over Rachel, I have a better chance of winning over Shelby?"

"You make it sound like you're just agreeing to meet her so you can get another chance with my sister," Sara scolded.

"That's not what I meant," Jack assured her. "I'm actually interested in meeting her, too. Joel said she's a lot like Shelby."

"She is. Rachel wants to see Shelby happy, but she also doesn't want to see her get hurt. She needs to meet you for herself so she can decide."

"When is this meeting supposed to happen?"

"I'm not sure. I have to talk to Rachel and see what works with her schedule. I wanted to make sure you agreed to it before we set anything up."

Jack sighed. "I know I should be happy for Shelby that she has so many people that care about her, but it makes talking to her rather difficult."

Sara laughed. "Just don't pull any idiotic moves like the last one."

"Laura already reamed me out for it. She even used my full name."

"Well, good. I need to go, though, but I'll be in touch."

* * *

"Shelby."

Looking up from the lesson plan she was going over, Shelby noticed Emma and a girl she didn't recognize standing in the doorway.

"Shelby, this is Melina Harris. She's Dominic's step-sister and Carmel's newest student. She wanted to talk to you about Vocal Adrenaline," Emma continued.

Shelby smiled as she stood. "It's nice to meet you, Melina."

"Dominic said you were looking for a dancer," Melina said.

"I am," Shelby confirmed, "However, all Vocal Adrenaline auditions require both singing and dancing."

"I have something prepared. I'm not a very good singer, but I want to improve."

"Well, you already have the right attitude."

"Do you have any more questions for me, Melina?" Emma asked.

Melina shook her head. "Not right now, but thank you for asking."

Emma smiled at her. "You're very welcome. I hope you enjoy it here, and I'll be around if you need anything from me. I'm going to let Shelby take over from here, though."

Melina nodded. Once Emma had left, she took a seat in front of Shelby's desk, eager to learn more about the arts program here.

* * *

By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, Rachel felt exhausted. Between Sasha getting kicked out of, and Melina joining, Vocal Adrenaline on top of her schoolwork and trying to find time to spend with her loved ones, she was pretty sure she hadn't been this tired in a while.

"You look like you're about to fall asleep on your feet," Jesse observed, sliding an arm around her waist as they walked towards his Rover.

"I'm exhausted," Rachel admitted, "but I want to enjoy tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing your grandma again….and everyone else we invited to dinner, and we get to hear how your dad was scolded by her…plus we have our musical night tonight."

Jesse chuckled and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Don't wear yourself out, Rach. We don't have rehearsal tonight, so you could take a nap before everyone arrives. I can take care of setting things up for the musical. Gen is coming over early to help with dinner, too."

"I think I might just do that. If I don't fall asleep by the time we get home," Rachel said as she sank into the front seat.

"I'll carry you upstairs if you do," Jesse told her.

"Mm. You might have to."

"Here, why don't you pick something for us to sing on the way home?" Jesse suggested, handing her his iPod.

Grateful for the distraction, Rachel leaned over to press a kiss to Jesse's cheek. "I love you, Jess," she told him.

Jesse smiled as he steered the vehicle onto the road. "I love you, too, Rach."

* * *

"Where's Rachel?" Hiram asked as he saw Jesse walk into the kitchen.

"Taking a nap. Long week."

Hiram nodded. "I'm going to guess you convinced her we'd be able to handle everything?"

Jesse chuckled. "Yes. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Would you mind making a run to the store for me? I'll give you a list and you can call me if you're not sure what something is."

"Sure. I'll call my sister and see if she needs anything, too. What are we all having tonight, anyway?"

"Vegan lasagna. I also found garlic bread made with all the proper vegan substitutes, and your sister said she would make a cake again."

"Sounds delicious. I'm going to go call my sister and then I'll be back for the list."

Hiram nodded. "Okay."

* * *

"Who's the cake for?" Jack asked as he saw Genevieve take the dessert out of the oven.

"Rachel and Jesse planned a musical night. Hiram offered to cook dinner for all of us, and I told him I would make this cake."

"Why couldn't you just buy a cake?"

"I'm sure you could buy one with vegan substitutes, but I enjoy making food so I'm doing it myself."

"You're not a vegan."

"No, I'm not. Rachel and Hiram are, though."

"What is this musical night they planned?"

"Just what it sounds like," Joel answered as he entered the room. "Hiram cooks dinner, Gen makes dessert, Puck and Jesse fight over the last piece, with Jesse always winning because it's his sister who made it, and then we watch a musical, which includes the sound being muted so Rachel, Jesse, or their friends can sing instead of the characters on the screen, and usually followed by more singing in either the music room or on the stage with the karaoke machine."

"Shelby has a stage in her house?" Jack wondered.

Genevieve laughed. "Sort of. Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy had Joel build it for Jesse's birthday. It's more like a half-stage, but it's big enough for the group to enjoy it. Shelby's basement is half small theater and half karaoke area. She also has a music room on the main floor that the entire group frequents."

"Sounds…interesting."

"It is, actually. I've never been much of a musical person, but the group makes them so much more interesting."

"Shouldn't you be on your way to the airport to get my grandma?" Genevieve asked her fiancé.

"I was just about to leave. Do you need me to stop and get anything on my way back?"

Genevieve shook her head. "Jesse should be here any minute to get my list. He called asking if I needed anything, told me to make a list and he'd stop over to get it."

"Jesse is Rachel's boyfriend, right?" Jack asked, still trying to make sense of his complicated family.

"Yes. Shelby is kind of like his surrogate mom. She made sure he was taken care of when our parents left him to his own devices here and we weren't talking yet."

"I hear Jesse, and I should go. I'll let you know when we're leaving the airport," Joel said, leaning down to kiss Genevieve quickly.

"Doesn't he ring the doorbell?" Jack wondered as Joel walked out of the room.

Genevieve shook her head. "I gave him a key. I didn't want him to have to feel like a guest in his childhood home."

Jack nodded, but stopped from saying anything else when he saw Jesse walk into the room.

"Where's your other half?" Genevieve teased him.

"Sleeping," Jesse answered. "She was exhausted, so it didn't take much convincing for her to agree to take a nap. Did Grandma's plane land yet?"

"Any minute, I think. I'd have to look to be sure."

"Who's your guest, Gen?" Jesse asked his sister.

"Jesse, this is Joel's dad's best friend, Jack Canton. Jack, this is my brother, Jesse St. James."

Jesse studied the older man carefully. "You're Shelby's ex."

"For now."

Jesse chuckled. "Good luck changing her mind. I need to get going, but it was nice to meet you."

"Same here, Jesse."

Genevieve handed her brother a list. "Thanks again, Jesse."

"Anytime."

* * *

"Rachel, baby, it's time to wake up," Shelby said, gently nudging her daughter awake.

"No," Rachel protested.

Shelby smiled. "Jesse bought you a vanilla soy latte. He said you have to come downstairs to get it, though."

"Of course he did," Rachel said as she reluctantly sat up, stretching as she did so. "Why didn't he come wake me up?"

"I wanted to," Shelby answered. "I also wanted to make sure you were okay. I know we haven't had a lot of time to talk lately."

"I miss our talks."

"I do, too, baby. Things have just been kind of crazy this week. Jesse assures me everything is fine, you were just tired, but I needed to see for myself."

Rachel smiled at her mother. "Jesse's right, Mom. I'm fine. I'm still kind of tired, but I can smell Daddy's cooking and I know my friends are downstairs."

"I'll let them know you'll be down in a minute," Shelby told her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before walking out of the room.

* * *

"So, Grandma, how did the  _talk_ with my Dad go?" Jesse asked his grandmother.

"About as well as I thought it would," Jacqueline answered.

"You have to give us more details than that," Genevieve put in from Jesse's side.

"I'm quite interested myself," Leroy added.

"Please, Grandma?" Jesse asked again, adopting a pleading expression he knew his grandmother wouldn't be able to resist.

"Fine, but I want to see that video of your Invitational before the musical, then."

"I think that can be arranged," Shelby told her.

Satisfied, Jacqueline nodded before she began her story.

_Walking up to her son's house in Bali, Jacqueline took a deep breath before she knocked on the door. She wasn't surprised when a young woman dressed like a housekeeper answered the door._

" _Mrs. St. James," she said, immediately recognizing the older woman._

" _Is my son home?"_

_The maid nodded, motioning for Jacqueline to follow her down the hall to the living room._

" _Thank you," Jacqueline told her before entering the room._

" _Mother," Martin said, standing when he saw his mother walk into the room._

" _Where's Gwendolyn?"_

" _Out by the pool. What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming, otherwise we'd have prepared a guest room for you."_

" _I'm not staying long, and I purposely didn't tell you I'd be here. That way you couldn't find a way to avoid me."_

" _I've never_ _ **avoided**_ _you."_

" _I beg to differ, but that's not why I'm here."_

" _Why are you here, then?"_

" _I'm here on your children's behalf. Mainly your son's."_

" _What's wrong with Jesse?"_

" _Aside from the fact that he found out his own flesh and blood tried to take away something that was rightfully his, he's fine. He's happier than I've ever seen him, actually."_

" _No doubt being corrupted by that bitch."_

_Jacqueline pointed to the couch where Martin had been sitting. "Sit and listen carefully," she said sternly._

_Knowing the look on his mother's face meant she was dead serious and she was angry about something, Martin did as he was told._

" _First of all, Shelby is_ _ **not**_ _a bitch. In fact, you should be_ _ **thanking**_ _her. She took care of Jesse in your absence. When you and your wife abandoned your son, she was there to make sure he was okay. She gave him a place to live while he and your daughter get to know each other again. She loves him like he's her own son."_

" _She wouldn't know. She doesn't have a son. Only that…thing of a daughter."_

" _I wasn't finished speaking, Martin," Jacqueline scolded before she continued. "As I was saying, you should really be very grateful to Shelby. She took care of your son when you decided he wasn't worth your time anymore. She's doing the same to your daughter. You're lucky your children turned out so well and were able to meet people who love them unconditionally._ _ **I**_ _approve of both Joel and Rachel. If you would bother to spend any amount of time with either of them, instead of just brushing them off because they might not have an aristocratic pedigree, you would realize that these two truly love your children. Children aren't dogs, Martin. You can't pick and choose their mates for them. Their so-called pedigree shouldn't have any part in deciding whether or not these people truly love your children."_

_Martin sighed as Jacqueline paused to take a breath. "Are you finished?"_

" _No, I'm not."_

" _Well, I am. Goodbye, Mother," Martin said, standing and grabbing Jacqueline's arm._

_Jacqueline moved out of his grip and pointed to the couch again. "_ _**Sit down** _ _, Martin," she commanded._

_Gulping, Martin once again did as his mother requested._

" _I'm ashamed to call you my son, Martin Thomas St. James. You_ _ **do not**_ _try to take away a trust fund that was set up specifically for_ _ **your**_ _son just because he decided to pursue the arts instead of law or business. I don't know if you tried to pull the same stunt with Genevieve's trust fund or not, but the fact of the matter you did it to Jesse. He is a wonderful young man, no thanks to either you or your pathetic excuse for a mother of a wife. You told Shelby you would leave Jesse in her hands, and yet you keep trying to interfere in his life. Just leave him alone. Between Shelby, Hiram, Leroy, Genevieve, and me, we'll take care of him and make sure he has everything he needs. You will leave his trust fund alone or you can be sure we'll be having this same conversation as many times as it takes for it to stick."_

" _Jesse doesn't deserve that money."_

" _Do you really think he doesn't work just as hard, if not harder, than any future lawyer or business person towards his schooling? So he chooses arts-related classes. That's what he_ _ **enjoys**_ _, what he's_ _ **passionate**_ _about. I fully support his decision because it's exactly that. Just like you can't go around choosing his future wife, you can't choose his future career either. I'm keeping an eye on that fund, Martin, so you can be sure I'll know if you try and tamper with it again. You don't need to worry about paying for any of his expenses. I'll take care of that. You also_ _ **do not**_ _try and sell your house while your child is_ _ **still living in it**_ _. I don't care that you supposedly thought Gwendolyn told him. You know as well as I do that she's full of it and is only concerned with herself. From this point forward, you can consider yourself all on your own because you aren't getting a penny more from me. You want to keep living this lifestyle? Get off your ass and work for it," Jacqueline finished before turning and leaving both the room and the house._

"That sounds like it went well," Shelby surmised.

Jacqueline laughed. "A little better than I expected it to, actually. If Gwendolyn had been in the room, it would have been a lot more difficult to get a word in edgewise. I have a few things I'd like to say to her, too, but by the time I was finished with Martin, I was ready to leave."

"You didn't have to do that, Grandma," Jesse told her.

Jacqueline smiled at her grandson. "Yes, I did. I needed to do it for you and your sister, and for me. I admit your grandfather and I made some mistakes with both of our children, but we had hoped Martin would turn out more like Janelle."

"When Martin met Gwendolyn, I knew any growth he'd had would stop then and there. She was the worst of the types of people we were often around growing up," Janelle said.

"We're better off without them, anyway," Genevieve added. "I know I'd much rather take this crazy family we've created over my parents any day."

"I hope you know you're now part of said crazy family," Leroy said to Jacqueline.

Jacqueline smiled. "Sounds wonderful."

* * *

Translations:

_tout de suite = right away_

_chica = girl_

_un pequeño secreto = a little secret_

_conversación = conversation_

__padres_  = parents (also means fathers, but that's now how it's used in this case)_

_actriz = actress_

__mentiroso_  = liar_

_cordero = lamb_


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee or  _Wicked_.

* * *

Once everyone had settled in the living room after dinner, Shelby put in the DVD of Vocal Adrenaline's 2009 Invitational. Sitting between his grandmother and his girlfriend, Jesse found that he was still a bit apprehensive about what his grandmother would think of the performances, if she would still want to support him after she saw them. Sensing his nervousness, Rachel squeezed his hand tightly in reassurance.

"She'll love it. She loves  _you_ ," she whispered.

Jesse nodded before he pressed a soft kiss to her temple and then turned his attention back to the performance currently being played on the television.

* * *

"So, what did you think?" Shelby asked Jacqueline as she took the DVD out of the player.

"I wish I could have been there," Jacqueline answered. "That's quite the group you've got there, Shelby."

Shelby smiled. "Yes, it is. They've only improved, too. We have a lot of new members this year, but I think that will work to our advantage."

Jacqueline nodded in agreement. "I have to agree. I am wondering why, if Jesse and Rachel are the male and female leads, they weren't featured more."

"Competitive advantage. The team decided they wanted to do it this way. If the other teams can't determine who the leads are, they will have a harder time figuring out how to compete with us."

"Are we going to have to go against that team from Rachel's old school?" Holly asked her aunt.

Shelby shrugged. "I'm not sure. I haven't gotten the list for Sectionals yet. I imagine we would at either Sectionals or Regionals, if they make it that far."

Turning her attention to her older grandson, Jacqueline noticed he seemed unsure. "Is everything okay?" she asked him.

"You liked it, then?" Jesse returned.

Jacqueline smiled and nodded. "I did, very much. It's easy to see how much you love being up there on that stage."

Jesse returned his grandmother's smile as he visibly relaxed. "I'm glad you liked it, Grandma."

"Does this mean you'll be sitting next to us at Sectionals?" Genevieve asked Jacqueline.

"I'd love to be at any and all performances."

"Vocal Adrenaline is having a holiday concert this year, too," Blaine put in from his seat next to Kurt.

"Sounds lovely. Shelby, do you have dates for all of these events?"

Shelby nodded. "I'll get you a list before you leave."

"You can show Grandma your birthday present now, Jesse," Blaine teased his cousin.

"Your birthday was in August…" Jacqueline said, clearly confused.

Rachel giggled. "My parents converted the basement into half mini-theater, half karaoke stage area as a birthday present for Jesse. We use the theater part for our musical nights," she explained.

Jacqueline looked towards Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy. "That was very nice of you to do for him. Thank you."

Shelby smiled. "We're all quite fond of Jesse and wanted to do something special for him. Besides, the entire group gets enjoyment out of it, so it's not like it isn't ever used, and this way, I don't always have my music room taken over by an ever-growing group of teenagers."

"What are we watching tonight?" Jacqueline asked Rachel.

" _Oklahoma!_ " Rachel responded with a smile. "One of the roles I'm going to play on Broadway is Laurey."

"Well, then I suppose the more familiar with the musical you are, the better."

"She's already familiar with it," Holly put in as everyone stood and began to make their way towards the basement.

Rachel grinned at her cousin. "It has a ballet sequence, which I know  _you're_  familiar with."

Holly laughed as she returned her cousin's grin. "That's only because you made me watch it so many times!"

"I did no such thing. You did it willingly."

* * *

"Mom?" Rachel asked as she knocked on her mother's door later that night.

Shelby opened the door, smiling as she motioned for her daughter to enter the room. "Did everyone get home okay?" she asked as Rachel settled herself on the bed.

"Yes. I wanted to talk to you about something…"

"Isn't that why we have these chats?" Shelby asked with a smile as she sat near Rachel on the bed.

Rachel nodded; tucking her hair behind her ear in what Shelby knew was a nervous gesture.

"Rachel, is everything okay?"

"I want to meet Jack," Rachel answered quietly.

Shelby was silent for a moment as she took in her daughter's request. "Why?" she wondered.

Rachel looked up, meeting her mother's eyes as she spoke. "Because I just have this…feeling…that you regret letting him go. When I first got together with Jesse, you kept telling me to follow my heart and you kept mentioning a mistake you made when you let your head override your heart. It's not difficult to put the pieces together, Mom. I want you to be happy, too."

"Baby, I  _am_  happy."

Rachel shook her head. "I know, overall, you're happy. I know you like having me, my dads, and Jesse here, and the crazy family that's part of our lives now, but something's still missing. Everyone is always saying how I inherited your sense for just  _knowing_  things. Your intuition. That intuition tells me something is missing. You deserve your happily ever after, too."

Shelby sighed. "You're old enough to make your own decisions, and I trust that your dads raised you to make them well, so if you want to meet Jack, I won't stop you."

"I didn't want to do it unless you knew. I didn't want to go behind your back and do it."

Shelby smiled at her daughter. "I know, baby. You're not like that."

"That's because I have three parents who taught me well," Rachel said, returning her mother's smile. "I have another request, but this one doesn't have anything to do with Jack."

"What is it?"

"You know how much Holly loves Halloween…and she's putting so much effort into the costumes this year…and I know the team has been kind of stressed with all the drama that's been going on….I was hoping we could have a little Halloween party for the members of the team, as a way for everyone to get to know each other again. Sort of a morale booster of sorts."

"Where would this party take place?"

"I'm not sure. We've had the team over before, so maybe here?"

"I'll think about it. Why don't we see what we can come up with as far as plans and people helping goes…and then we'll take another look at it and see if it's possible."

"That sounds fair," Rachel agreed with a nod of her head before she hugged her mother and then left the room to start her nightly routine.

* * *

The next morning, as she walked into the kitchen for breakfast, Rachel smiled at the sight that greeted her. Her Daddy was standing at the stove while Leroy, Shelby, and Jesse sat at the table.

"Whatever you're making smells delicious, Daddy," Rachel said before pressing a kiss to his cheek and then joining the rest of her family at the table.

"Pancakes," Hiram told her.

"What kind?"

"Blueberry, of course," Jesse answered.

Rachel smiled. "Of course."

"I was telling your dads about the Halloween party idea.," Shelby told her daughter.

"My grandma would probably be thrilled if we asked her to help plan it. She used to plan all kinds of parties when she and my grandfather were younger. She seemed to like it," Jesse added.

"If Genevieve is willing to help with the cooking again, I think we could handle the food," Hiram said as he brought the large plate of pancakes to the table.

"I can't really see her objecting, but I'll ask," Jesse replied.

"From what I heard the other night, I'd say Holly has a few ideas of her own."

Rachel giggled. "A few would be an understatement. She kind of took the idea and ran with it. Halloween is one of her favorite holidays."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Jesse told her.

Shelby smiled. "I remember getting panicked phone calls from Sara a few years because Holly was having an issue with her costume and she didn't know how to fix it."

Rachel sighed. "I wish I had copies of everything Holly drew. She must have been thinking about this for a while, she's even got our costumes all picked out."

"Can't she send them to you?" Jesse wondered.

Rachel shrugged. "I could ask her. I know she was saying something about trying to make plans with Dominic, so I'm not sure if she'll be around or not."

"What costumes did she pick out?" Shelby asked.

Jesse chuckled. "Holly calls it 'Back to the '50s'. She says she was inspired by the musical  _Grease_."

"She also says I can't complain because we made her watch the movie," Rachel added.

"That sounds like your cousin," Leroy said.

Rachel nodded in agreement before she and Jesse began to explain the details of Holly's ideas that they could remember.

* * *

After breakfast, Rachel and Jesse walked over to his sister's to talk to her and his grandmother about the Halloween party.

"There are more cars than usual in the driveway, are you sure she won't mind us stopping by?" Rachel asked as they approached the front door.

"I already talked to her, she said it's fine. You're also simultaneously getting your wish to meet Jack. He and Joel's parents are here, too."

Rachel nodded as she laced her fingers with Jesse's, earning a smile and a soft kiss in return.

As Jesse was about to unlock the door, it was opened for them.

"I saw you in the window," Genevieve said with a smile.

"Is Grandma around?" Jesse wondered as he and Rachel followed Genevieve into the house.

Genevieve nodded. "She's in the living room with Joel and his family. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. Rachel and I wanted to talk to you both about potentially helping with something, and we figure it would be easier to just explain everything to you both at the same time."

"What do you need help with?" Jacqueline asked as she appeared at Jesse's side and immediately pulled him into a hug.

"We'll explain in a minute," Rachel answered as she also received a hug from the older woman.

"Genevieve, why don't you introduce everyone while I get some refreshments from the kitchen," Jacqueline said to her granddaughter.

Genevieve nodded before quickly introducing everyone.

"I'm sure you've gotten told this a million times, but you look so much like Shelby," Laura said with a smile.

Rachel returned the older woman's smile before she spoke. "I have, but I don't mind. Thank you."

As Rachel and Jesse talked with the rest of the group, Jack sat quietly at his best friend's side as he studied the petite brunette who looked so much like her mother. He was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of Rachel's voice.

"I need you to answer something for me."

Jack blinked a couple of times to bring her back into focus before he asked his question. "What's that?"

"Why did you leave? Why didn't you stay and fight if you love my Mom as much as you claim to?"

"It's more complicated than that."

"It's really not."

Jack chuckled. "You argue like your mother, too, I see. I don't know how to explain it other than I felt like there was no point in me sticking around. I couldn't watch her be with someone else, so I left."

"You didn't fight for her? I don't understand."

"I regret not making more of an effort, but there's nothing I can do about that now other than apologize."

"Why did you propose to that other girl?"

"I thought that if I married her, I could get over Shelby. I cared for her, but I didn't really love her. I kept thinking of Shelby every step of the way. I finally confessed everything to the girl I was supposed to marry, and she and I agreed it was best to just call everything off before we both did something we'd regret. She actually told me to go find Shelby."

"Did you try and look for her?"

Jack shook his head. "No. I wish I would have, but I didn't. I knew how  _I_  felt, but I didn't know how  _she_  felt."

Rachel sighed. "You could have tried to find her and then asked her yourself."

"I was young and stupid. I had no idea that your Mom even went looking for me until recently. I figured she was probably better off without me."

Rachel shook her head. "No, she's not. If you feel about her the way I feel about Jesse, then no, you're not and she's not. You're each other's missing piece."

Jack smiled at her. "I agree, which is why I came back here and why I'll stay here until she agrees to at least talk to me without yelling at me."

"What did you do for all those years?"

"I was in New York. I tried my luck in theater, too, but that didn't end up panning out the way I thought it would. I ended up going back to school and getting a teaching degree, and then after that, I taught drama and music at a local high school."

"Did you enjoy it?"

Jack nodded. "I did, very much. I think I can understand why your Mom chose to teach music and coach your show choir team."

"Would you support her?"

"What do you mean?"

"Support her. Be there for her. Encourage her. Listen to her, even when all she really needs to do is rant."

"I would," Jack confirmed with a nod.

"How do you feel about me?"

"You mean that you're not only Shelby's daughter, but Hiram's and Leroy's as well?"

Rachel nodded, urging Jack to continue answering her question.

"I'll admit I was surprised at first, but I don't have a problem with it. I'm glad Shelby has you in her life."

"Do you think you can make my Mom truly happy?"

Jack nodded confidently. "I know I can. She'd be doing the same for me. Judging from the way you and Jesse are with each other, I'd say you understand."

"I do. Jesse means everything to me, I've never been happier than before he came into my life. It also helps I'm in a much more supportive environment now."

"If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean by a more supportive environment?"

"This is the first year I've actually lived with my Mom. I lived in Lima with my dads up until the end of the summer. I just started at Carmel last month."

"What made you decide to move?"

"My old school wasn't conducive to my future."

Jack studied the petite brunette who looked so much like her mother. "There's more to it than that."

Rachel sighed. "I was bullied-relentless taunts, slushies to the face, you name it, and I had it done to me. My Mom offered to let me live with her so I could go to Carmel. She let my dads move in so I didn't have to be apart from them, and she let Jesse move in when he and Genevieve weren't getting along."

"Are you enjoying Carmel?"

Rachel smiled and nodded. "Very much. I love it. My closest friends from Lima also moved here to Akron and transferred, so it was nice having familiar faces other than my Mom and my boyfriend."

"Familiar faces are always nice to have around," Jack agreed. "Genevieve was telling me you and Jesse both want to be on Broadway."

"We will be," Rachel told him. "It's part of our destiny."

"Well, regardless of what happens with your Mom, I hope it happens for you both."

Rachel smiled at the older man. "Thank you."

* * *

"Where did Jesse and Rachel run off to?" Hiram asked as he walked into the living room.

Shelby looked up from the book of sheet music she had been paging through. "Genevieve's. They wanted to ask Genevieve and Jacqueline if they would help with the Halloween party, plus Rachel wanted to meet Jack," she answered.

"You agreed to that?" Leroy wondered as Hiram sat down beside him.

"Yes. Rachel is old enough to make her own decisions, plus Jesse and his family will be there. I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Sara said Jack surprised you at work the other day," Hiram revealed.

Shelby sighed. "Yes, what about it? I sent him away, just like the last time we talked."

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"I don't know. I'm scared to let him back in. I never expected to see him again and then he just appears in the doorway of my office, looking almost exactly like he did all those years ago. In hindsight, I guess I should have expected something like that from him."

"He always was rather impulsive."

"Yes, well, I wish he'd control those impulses better."

"He just wants to talk to you, Shelby. He had no idea you went looking for him until rather recently. I'm sure he has questions, and I know you do too."

"I'm not ready to talk to him yet," Shelby declared before she stood and walked out of the room.

Leroy chuckled as he heard Hiram sigh. "At least she seems open to the possibility of talking to him instead of flat out saying she'll never talk to him again. It's progress," he said encouragingly.

"I'm a little surprised Sara hasn't locked them in a room together, or something equally drastic, yet."

"Probably because she knows it wouldn't do any good. If Shelby doesn't want to talk, she won't. I haven't known her as long as you have, but I know that for sure."

"You're right. I just want to see the two of them make up. I'm confident they'll make each other happy."

"I know you do, and Shelby knows your heart is in the right place, but you know as well as I do that pushing her doesn't do anyone any good."

* * *

"Hi, Holly," Melina greeted as she opened the front door to reveal her step-brother's girlfriend standing there.

"Hi," Holly returned with a smile. "How are you?"

Melina shrugged. "I had another fight with my dad today, but other than that, I'm fine."

Holly frowned as she followed the older girl into the house. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly prompted his decision to not allow you to go home, even to get your things?"

Melina shrugged again. "Your guess is as good as mine. I think he and my step-mom are just frustrated having a teenager around when the rest of their kids are still pre-teens at the oldest."

"Well, I can understand the whole unexpected transfer thing."

"How so?"

"Dominic never told you?" Holly asked, surprised.

Melina shook her head. "Nope. He just said he met you your first day back. He didn't say why you transferred back, though."

"It was my parents' decision. My first day back at Carmel was the day they told me I was transferring."

"Yikes. At least I had a couple of days to get used to the idea. You seem to like it now, though."

Holly nodded. "I do like it. Had I been given the choice, I would have asked to transfer myself, but I didn't think it was an option."

"Maybe once I make some friends it'll be better."

"You have Dominic, and you have me. Rachel and the rest of our group would enjoy getting to know you, too, I think. You should join us for the costume contest."

"I don't have a costume."

"Don't worry about it. We'll find something. We're doing a '50s theme. We're still kind of coming up with the costumes, but Kurt and my aunt said they would help make them."

"Sounds like fun."

"It will be. So think about what you might want your costume to look like and we'll go from there."

Melina smiled. "Thank you. I will. Dominic's in his room, I'm sure he won't care if you just go upstairs."

"Thanks," Holly said before making her way up the stairs to her boyfriend's room.

* * *

As she was talking with two of her grandchildren, Jacqueline was surprised to hear the doorbell ring.

"Are you expecting someone?" she asked her granddaughter.

"Yes," Genevieve answered with a smile as she stood and then made her way to the front door.

"Do you know who she invited over?" Jacqueline asked her grandson.

Jesse shrugged. "No, but I have a guess."

Before Jacqueline could ask what his guess was, she saw Blaine, followed by Kurt and Genevieve, walk into the room. Spotting his grandmother, Blaine walked over and hugged her. Both were stopped from saying anything as Rachel spotted her best friend.

"Kurt!" she exclaimed, immediately hugging him tightly.

"Rachel, I need to breathe," he reminded her.

Rachel laughed. "I'm sorry. I just didn't expect to see you today, and we haven't been able to spend much time together lately. I thought you had plans with your dad all weekend?"

Kurt smiled. "Oh, didn't I tell you? He moved to Akron…at least temporarily."

"Really?"

Kurt grinned as he nodded. "My aunt talked him into moving in with us, and he's looking at places to open up a garage here."

"I'm happy for you. I think we should celebrate."

"I agree.  _Wicked_?"

Rachel nodded. " _Wicked_."

Arm in arm, the best friends walked over to the piano, where Jack was currently sitting. At Rachel's quizzical look, he shrugged. "I heard  _Wicked_  and figured you'd probably need some accompaniment."

"Do you know him?" Kurt asked his best friend.

Rachel nodded. "This is Jack," she said simply.

Kurt nodded in understanding before turning back the older man currently sitting at the piano. "Well, what are you waiting for, then?"

Jack laughed. "Nothing," he said, shaking his head as he began to play the opening notes.

Taking her cue, Rachel sang her part first.

_Something has changed within me,_  
Something is not the same.  
I'm through with playing by the rules  
Of someone else's game.

With a smile for Rachel, Kurt took the next verse.

**Too late for second-guessing,**  
Too late to go back to sleep.  
It's time to trust my instincts,  
Close my eyes and leap.

Returning her best friend's smile, Rachel joined her voice with his.

__**It's time to try**  
Defying gravity  
I think I'll try  
Defying gravity  
Kiss me goodbye I'm  
Defying Gravity  
And you won't bring me down...

Once their duet had ended, Kurt and Rachel were grinning at each other as their audience clapped.

"I take it you two have sung this particular duet before," Jack said to them.

"A few times," Kurt confessed.

" _Wicked_  and  _Funny Girl_  are Rachel's two favorite musicals," Jesse put in as the girl in question returned to his side.

" _Funny Girl_  was Shelby's favorite, too," Jack commented.

Rachel nodded. "It still is."

"Is your entire group intertwined the way you four are?" Jason asked.

"What do you mean?" Blaine wondered.

"You and Jesse are cousins. Jesse is dating Rachel, whose best friend is Kurt, and Kurt is dating Blaine," Laura clarified.

All four teens in question simply shrugged before Jesse spoke again. "I guess so. We don't really think about it."

"They're all my family," Rachel added.

"You know," Jacqueline said to Jack, "if Shelby does decide to let you back into her life, you'll be a part of their big, crazy family, too."

Jack shrugged. "Sounds good to me," he said simply.

Rachel smiled as she curled into her boyfriend's side and listened as conversation began to flow around her.

* * *

"Holly," Dominic said in surprise as he opened his bedroom door to reveal his girlfriend standing there.

"Hi. Melina let me in."

"Hi. Did we have plans I somehow forgot about?"

Holly shook her head. "No…I just wanted to see you. To surprise you."

Dominic smiled at her. "Now that you've succeeded, what would you like to do?"

Holly wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck as she spoke. " _Réclamer mon prix_."

Dominic wrapped his own arms around Holly as he pulled her into his room and immediately bent his head to kiss her.

" _Tu m'as manqué aussi_." He said with a small laugh as they ended their kiss."

"There's a second part to that sentence," Holly said with a frown as she switched back to English.

"I have homework I need to finish. I'd love to spend time with you, but I need to get this done. It won't take me that long."

"Fine," Holly said with a sigh, "but you owe me."

Dominic laughed. "I owe you what?"

"More of whatever it is you just did," Holly answered as she cupped the back of his head to bring him closer so she could kiss him again.

"Holl…" Dominic murmured as he attempted to reluctantly pull away.

"Homework later,  _baisers maintenant_."

Dominic reluctantly stepped out of his girlfriend's embrace. "I'm sorry, Holl. I really need to get this done."

Holly crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her boyfriend. " _Trouble-fête_."

Dominic simply raised his eyebrows at his girlfriend, causing her to laugh.

"I hate it when you do that, you know," she told him.

Dominic smiled at her. "I know."

"You still owe me," Holly said before she turned on her heel and walked out of the room.

Dominic chuckled to himself as he watched Holly walk away from him much like she had the first day they'd met. With a shake of his head, he once again shut his door and then sat down at his desk to attempt to finish his homework.

* * *

Wandering around the house, Holly was happy to see she wasn't going to have to look far for company.

"Everything okay?" Melina asked, pausing the movie she had been watching as she noticed Holly.

Holly flopped down on the couch beside the girl she considered her newest friend. "Dominic kicked me out of his room."

"I keep telling him he takes his homework far too seriously. If my boyfriend…well, ex-boyfriend now I guess…surprised me, I'd ditch my homework in a heartbeat."

"I'm glad  _someone_  sees my side of it."

Melina laughed. "Dominic gets on my case about it; I just tell him he's a kill-joy."

This time is was Holly's turn to laugh. "I just called him a spoilsport."

"It seems like we see eye-to-eye on a few things anyway."

"Dominic's been worried about you, you know," Holly revealed, suddenly becoming serious.

Melina sighed. "I know. I keep telling him not to, I just need time to adjust. I'm in a new town, at a new school, and I have to make all new friends. It sucks."

"I get it. If it weren't for my cousin and my aunt, I don't think my transfer back to Carmel would have gone as smoothly as it has."

"You're lucky to have them. Obviously I know Dominic, but I don't want to have to rely on my brother to make friends for me."

"I know. I completely understand, trust me. I didn't want to rely on my cousin, but once she introduced me to the rest of her group, it was like we all instantly meshed for whatever reason. These people weren't obligated to be nice to me, but they were. Rachel didn't introduce me to them with the intention of making friends for me. It was my decision to keep hanging out with them and vice versa."

"I'm a little scared to make friends here, to be honest," Melina confessed softly.

"Why?" Holly wondered.

Melina shrugged. "I guess part of me is afraid my dad is going to yank me out of this school, too. I don't know what I did wrong to deserve being exiled…and I'm afraid I'm going to make the same mistake here."

"Aren't you old enough to make your own decision about where you want to live?"

"Yeah…why?"

"It sucks that your dad doesn't seem to want you, but from what I've seen, your mom seems to be thrilled that you're here. It was the same kind of look I've seen in my aunt's eyes when she looks at my cousin."

Melina smiled. "It  _has_  been nice to have my mom around more. She and I were supposed to have a girls' day today, but then she got called into work."

"We could still do that. You've already got everything we need, plus it sounds like fun. Just don't tell my mom, she might want to have one of our own."

Melina giggled. "I don't even know your mom, so your secret is safe with me."

"So, what are we watching?" Holly asked, gesturing to the scene of the movie currently paused on the television.

" _The Notebook_ ," Melina answered.

Holly smiled at her newest friend. "Sounds good to me. What are we waiting for?"

Instead of responding, Melina simply un-paused the movie, and both girls turned their attention to the movie now currently playing on the television screen.

* * *

A couple of hours later, after finishing the last of his homework, Dominic made his way downstairs and was immediately greeted with the sound of female laughter. He recognized three voices-Holly's, Penelope's, and Melina's. While he was happy that his girlfriend got along so well with his family, he wanted to spend time alone with her.

"He's alive," Holly teased as she saw her boyfriend walk into the room.

"Maybe you're just seeing my ghost because you forgot about me," Dominic retorted, adopting his best wounded expression.

"It would be your own fault for kicking her out," Melina put in.

"Girls, be nice," Penelope playful admonished.

"You know," Dominic said, directing his words towards his girlfriend, "I  _was_  going to take you out to eat, but I don't know if you deserve it anymore."

Holly frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "You are so mean, Dominic Anthony Edwards."

"And you, Holly Nicole Evans, are completely innocent?"

Holly's frown turned into a smile as she nodded. "Of course I am. I saved your sister from having to spend the day by herself; I think I deserve something for that."

Melina nodded in agreement. "She's a lifesaver."

"Remind me why I wanted you two to become friends again," Dominic said.

"Because you love us both and we have a lot in common," Holly responded as she walked over to him, a grin still on her face.

Dominic slid his arm around her waist and began to lead her from the room. "Come on, then, oh innocent one, I suppose I better feed you before you turn on me."

Holly winked at Penelope and Melina as she let Dominic lead her out of the room, causing both of them to laugh.

"So, what do you think of Holly?" Penelope asked her daughter once the duo had left the room.

"I think she's perfect for Dominic. She also seems like a genuinely nice, caring person. It was kind of nice being able to talk to someone else who went through an unexpected high school transfer. I know it's not as tragic as some other things, but still."

"I know this hasn't been easy for you, sweetheart, but I'm glad you're here. Your siblings love having you around as well. Is everything going okay?"

Melina nodded. "Everything's fine. I'm still trying to make friends, but I'll get there eventually. Holly was saying Rachel is trying to talk Shelby into letting her throw a Halloween party for Vocal Adrenaline members and she told me to think about what kind of costume I want to wear for at least the costume contest Carmel has every year. Their theme is the '50s, and I don't really want to go the poodle skirt route, but I haven't been able to come up with anything else."

"Are you planning on buying or making these costumes?"

Melina shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. It sounds like they're going to make them, though."

"Well, that gives you more room for creativity. I think I have some ideas," Penelope responded before she began to outline her ideas.

* * *

"You didn't have to walk me home, you know," Rachel said as she and Jack walked towards her house.

"I could tell Jesse wanted to spend more time with his sister, cousin and grandmother, and I overheard you telling Genevieve that you and Shelby had plans later this afternoon, and I could also tell you didn't really want to walk home alone," Jack responded with a shrug. "No big deal."

"It doesn't seem…childish?"

Jack shook his head. "No. It sounds practical, which, if you're as much like Hiram and Shelby as I think you are, doesn't surprise me. I think all three of your parents would appreciate you being safe rather than sorry, and this way Jesse doesn't have to leave."

Rachel nodded. "I could tell he didn't want to. He would have, though, to walk me home."

"I'm pretty sure he'd do anything for you."

Rachel smiled as she thought of her boyfriend. "I don't doubt that he would. He told me he wants to make all of my dreams come true."

"I can see him saying something like that."

"You hardly know him."

"That's true, but I have seen the way you two are with each other. It's pretty obvious how much you love each other. If he's anything like his sister in regards to how devoted to his significant other he is, it doesn't surprise me that he'd say something like that."

Turning on the final step before the front door, Rachel smiled at the man she hoped would be her step-father someday. "Thank you. For walking me home and for answering all of my questions."

Jack returned her smile as he spoke. "You're very welcome. No matter what happens between your Mom and me, I want you to know that I sincerely hope you do see all of your dreams come true. You're an exceptional young lady, Rachel."

Rachel beamed at the older man. "Thank you. Again."

Jack chuckled. "You're welcome. Again. Take care."

"You, too," Rachel responded before turning around to open the door.

* * *

"Mom," Rachel said as she walked into the music room.

Shelby looked up from the music she'd been looking over to smile at her daughter. "Hi, baby. How was Genevieve's?"

Rachel took a seat next to Shelby at the piano before she answered. "It was fun. I met Joel's parents and Jack, plus Blaine and Kurt ended up stopping by so Kurt and I were able to fill our duet quota for the week."

"Your duet quota for the week?"

Rachel nodded. "We have decided that our duets are magical, so they need to be done a certain number of times per week so that the magic can help us with our creativity."

Unsure whether or not her daughter was joking, Shelby simply raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to laugh.

"I'm joking, Mom. We just like to sing together, and it had been a long time since we'd been able to sing something just the two of us, so we decided to duet."

"What did you sing?"

"Defying Gravity."

" _Wicked_. I should have known. Did you sing a cappella or with accompaniment?"

"Jack accompanied us on the piano."

"Speaking of Jack, what did you think of him?"

"I like him. He said he taught drama and music when he lived in New York once his theater career didn't work out the way he wanted it to, so I might ask him more about that if we get a chance to talk some more. He let me ask him any question I wanted and was willing to answer all of them. He also walked me home so Jesse wouldn't have to leave his sister's."

Shelby nodded.

"I think you should hear him out, Mom."

"I'll take it into consideration. For now, though, I believe I promised you I would help with your Halloween costumes."

"Oh, I almost forgot, Jacqueline and Genevieve said they would help. That means we can have the party, right?"

Shelby nodded, earning a squeal of delight and a hug from her daughter. When Rachel pulled away, Shelby spoke again. "I agree that it would be a good way for everyone to reacquaint themselves with one another, and your dads both seemed to be on board with it, so I was actually planning on agreeing regardless of whether or not Genevieve and Jacqueline agreed to help. Although their agreement did make the decision easier."

"Holly already has tons of ideas. I knew this was one of her favorite holidays, but I had no idea how much she really likes it until we started planning things."

"Well, why don't we see if any of these ideas can become reality, then," Shelby suggested as she stood.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Réclamer mon prix = claim my prize_

_Tu m'as manqué aussi = I missed you too_

_baisers maintenant = kisses now_

_Trouble-fête = spoilsport_


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee or the Rascall Flatt's song mentioned above.

* * *

"Did you have a good time with your family?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse curled together on her bed.

"Yeah. You missed a great duet by Blaine and me, though." Jesse answered.

Rachel smiled. "You'll have to re-create it for me sometime, then. I'm sure your grandma was in heaven."

Jesse chuckled. "Probably. She's going to be staying with Gen, too. She took a page out of your Mom's book when she heard Grandma talking about finding her own place here."

"I'm glad. It'll be nice for you to have both of them nearby."

"I'm still getting used to the fact that they're both so supportive."

"You deserve it, Jess. You shouldn't doubt that you deserve to be loved and supported," Rachel insisted.

Jesse smiled as he brushed his lips with Rachel's. "With you around, I could never forget."

"Good. Now, are you going to tell me what musical we're watching tonight?"

"You'll find out," Jesse told her as he started the movie.

Content to just be held in Jesse's arms, Rachel settled her head more comfortably on his shoulder before turning her attention to the screen and attempting to figure out what musical he'd picked out.

* * *

"So, did you find out anything new about Jack?" Hiram asked as Shelby joined him in the kitchen the next morning.

Shelby frowned at her friend as she took a seat at the center island. "Yes, and it doesn't help."

Hiram chuckled. "What do you mean?"

"He was in New York. Taught drama and music at a local high school. He let Rachel pretty much interrogate him."

"I still think you should talk to him, Shelby. I know you're scared that he's going to walk away again, but I really don't think that's his intention."

"When he came to my office the other day, he told me that he never stopped loving me," Shelby admitted softly.

"Well, you've never truly stopped loving him, either," Hiram pointed out.

"That doesn't mean this is an easy decision for me. I don't just have myself to think about anymore. Rachel will get attached to him pretty quickly, and so will I. It would hurt too much if he walked away again."

Hiram took the food he had been cooking off of the stove and then walked over to his long-time friend, taking her hands in his.

"Just  _talk_  to him, Shelby. You don't have to make any decisions right away. Leroy and I are here for you, as is Sara. You know as well as I do that she wouldn't have told him anything about you if she thought he would hurt you again. She's your big sister; she's always looking out for you."

Shelby sighed. "Can I use some of those blueberry muffins of yours as a peace offering?"

Hiram smiled. "Of course."

* * *

Holly had just finished getting ready for the day when she heard a knock at her door. When she opened it, she was surprised to find her brother standing there.

"Liam? Is everything okay?" she asked, noticing he looked nervous.

"I want to transfer to Carmel," he blurted out.

Holly blinked a couple of times as she attempted to process the information. "Why?" she finally managed to ask.

"They have a really good football team. Puck said their coach has taught him so much more in just a couple of months than he learned in his two previous years at McKinley. I could learn from her…and plus, Mom is always saying how Carmel is better academically than Kennedy…"

Instead of answering, Holly pulled her brother into her room and motioned for him to take a seat before she did the same thing herself.

"I know you probably don't want me there…" Liam started to continue, only to be cut off by his sister shaking her head.

"I worry about you, you know," she told him.

This time it was Liam's turn to be surprised. "You do?"

"Of course I do. You're my brother and even if you annoy me sometimes, I love and care about you. When we were both at Kennedy, I used to watch you from afar sometimes, just to reassure myself that you were adjusting to high school okay."

"I've been in school for a couple of months now, I think I've adjusted."

Holly glared at her brother. "You know what I mean."

Liam laughed. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"I'm sure."

"I really want to transfer, but I won't do it if you aren't okay with it."

Holly was silent for a moment as she appeared to contemplate something. "Go ahead," she said finally.

Liam stared at his sister in disbelief. "Serious?"

Holly nodded. "You deserve to get a chance to be in a better position to excel in what you enjoy, too."

"Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?"

Holly laughed. "Be nice or I'll take back what I said. Just don't bug me at school."

Liam grinned at his sister. "Can I bug you at home, then?"

"No!"

* * *

Having just finished cleaning up after breakfast, Genevieve was surprised to hear the doorbell ring. Exchanging a confused look with her fiancé, she shrugged and then walked to the foyer to answer the door.

"Shelby," she said upon recognizing her unexpected visitor. "Is everything okay?"

"Jesse is fine. He and Rachel are currently debating which musicals to watch. I was actually hoping Jack was here…or you could tell me where he is."

"He's downstairs with Joel and Jason, I'll go get him," Genevieve told her with a smile.

While she waited for Genevieve to return, Shelby was only slightly surprised to see Laura make her way into the foyer.

"Shelby," she greeted.

"Hello, Laura," Shelby returned, unsure what else to say.

"I know you and I have never been the best of friends, but I just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed getting to meet your daughter yesterday."

Shelby smiled as she thought of Rachel. "I've enjoyed having her here with me."

"I'd say the feeling is mutual. She said you sort of set her and Jesse up."

"I guess I did. Jesse often borrowed sheet music from me, and I told him he could come over that day and get the pieces he wanted. I sent him to the music room because I was on the phone, not realizing that Rachel was already awake and was in the room herself. I don't know exactly what Jesse said to her, but they started talking…and that was that. They connected right from the start, and became inseparable shortly thereafter."

"So much more romantic than the way Jason and I met," Laura said with a laugh. "I still remember the day you and Jack met."

"So do I," Shelby admitted.

"You do?" Jack asked as he walked into the room.

"I'll leave you two alone. I should go check on my husband and son anyway," Laura said before walking out of the room.

"Genevieve said you wanted to see me," Jack said when Shelby remained silent.

"I need some answers."

Jack nodded as he grabbed his jacket from a nearby hook. "It's a nice day, how about a walk?" he suggested.

"Sure," Shelby agreed, following him out of the house.

* * *

"So, what made you decide to hear me out?" Jack asked as he and Shelby began to walk.

"A combination of things. My sister and two of my good friends insisting that I needed to stop being so stubborn and give you a chance to explain, my daughter immediately liking you, and the fact that you let her essentially interrogate you. Me finally realizing that if I didn't listen to what you had to say, that I'd still be wondering what if."

"I really am sorry, Shelby. I didn't just break your heart when I walked away, I broke my own too. I couldn't watch the love of my life be with someone else."

"I didn't think you took me seriously when I told you I never wanted to see you again."

"It wasn't just that. I kept thinking I didn't deserve you. I didn't deserve to be as happy as you made me."

"Why would you think that?"

Jack shrugged. "I was young and stupid. I'd moved around so much that I had learned to never get too attached to anyone or anything. I found the best friend I always wanted when I met Jason, and then shortly thereafter I met you. I suddenly found myself getting attached to both of you. I never really understood what you saw in me, but I knew I wanted to keep you."

"How the hell did you not know? You had the same interests as me, and you were passionate about the same things. We wanted the same life. You weren't like all of the other boys. You were…different somehow."

"Then why didn't you tell Blake to back off? If you loved me like you say you did."

Shelby sighed. "Looking back on it, I honestly don't know. I kept thinking  _you_  were going to leave  _me_  for someone else. That you'd find someone better. I wasn't the prettiest or most popular girl in school. Your best friend  _was_  one of the most popular people. I thought he'd set you up with some cheerleader or another popular girl, and then you'd forget about me."

"You're insane. You said it yourself, we wanted the same life. Blake never wanted or liked the things that you did. He only ever made you feel bad about yourself."

"I know that now. I was confused and scared."

"I heard you tried to date Blake again."

"I didn't know what else to do. I was desperate not to be alone anymore. It didn't last long anyway. We weren't planning on getting married."

"I only did it to try and get over you, but I thought about you every step of the way. It took more time and effort than it should have to find the ring because every time I looked at one, I thought about you. If  _you_  would like it. I kept thinking about how I would propose to  _you_. The girl wasn't into it any more than I was. We were both with each other to try and forget other people."

"Who called off the wedding?"

"We both did. I confessed that I'd never stopped thinking about you and she confessed she never stopped thinking about her ex. We knew marrying each other would be the wrong thing to do. It didn't take her as long to find him again as it took me to find you. Although I didn't think you actually  _wanted_  to see me again."

"You never had any kids?"

Jack shook his head. "It wouldn't have felt right. When Jason and Laura started having kids, I kind of just started helping them. Sort of living vicariously through them. I love Joel and his siblings like they're my own kids. I know you can understand that mentality."

Shelby nodded. "That's how I feel about my entire team. They're all like my kids, especially the group Rachel is a part of."

"I meant what I said that day in your office, Shelby. I want another chance with you. I want to be part of your life again. I get that it includes more people now, but if you think about it, some of them are already my family anyway."

"I can't give you an answer today. I need time to think."

"I'm not asking for a yes or no answer right now. I just want you to know that I meant what I said. I do still love you, and I do want another chance to be with you."

Shelby nodded before opting to change the subject. "Rachel said you taught in New York for a while."

"I did," Jack confirmed. "I tried my luck in the theater scene, but that didn't end up working out for me, so I went back to school and got a teaching degree. I taught drama and music."

"You gave up your life in New York because you found out I went look for you years ago?"

"Partially. I kind of felt like my life wasn't going anywhere, so I came back here to visit some family. While I was here, I ended up running into your sister. Some of the information I managed to get out of her was that you went looking for me. I didn't know until later that the engagement announcement in the paper was what caused you to forfeit that plan."

"I was devastated when I saw that. You had been able to move on, I hadn't. It hurt."

"I really am sorry, Shelby. I can't change the past, but I'd like to make up for the mistakes I made, if you'll let me."

Shelby sighed. "I already told you I can't give you an answer today," she said as she stuck her hands in the pockets of her coat.

"How can I prove to you that I mean what I'm telling you?" Jack asked, watching her carefully.

"I don't know. I have a lot on my plate right now; I don't have time to contemplate whether or not you mean what you say."

"Like what?"

"Rachel and Holly want my help with their Halloween costumes and the party they're planning for the team next week, plus the team has their first competition of the year in about three weeks. About a month after that we're putting on the holiday concert for Carmel this year and we'll have Regionals to prepare for."

"I could help…if you'll let me."

"Help me how?" Shelby wondered.

Jack shrugged. "However I can. I helped put on a few school musicals when I was in New York since I was the music teacher. I can help decorate for the party, whatever you need me to do."

Shelby was silent for a few minutes as she contemplated Jack's offer. While it  _would_  be nice to have the help, she didn't want to get too attached if he was just going to take off again.

"How do I know you're not just going to leave again?" she finally asked.

"I found an apartment not too far from Carmel. Genevieve has been kind enough to let me stay with her for the rest of the month, since the apartment won't be ready until November."

"I don't like asking for help, you know."

Jack chuckled. "I remember. I can help with the Halloween party for now, and then if you want my help with anything else, all you have to do is ask. I haven't found a job yet, teaching jobs are pretty difficult to come by if it's not the beginning of the school year, so I'll be around whenever you need me to be."

"I'll think about it."

* * *

When she returned home from her walk with Jack, Shelby was surprised to find the house almost eerily quiet. Opening the door to the basement, she smiled when heard the sounds of the musical Jesse and Rachel were watching. Closing the door once more, she made her way into the kitchen. As she'd suspected, Hiram was cooking something.

"What are you making?" Shelby asked him as she approached.

"Rachel and Jesse have requested vegan stir fry again. I'm just trying out a couple of different things with it."

"It smells wonderful. By the time Rachel graduates, I'm going to be so used to you cooking I won't know how to do it myself anymore."

Hiram chuckled. "I'm sure you'll be fine. If the restaurant is a success, though, Leroy and I were contemplating staying in Akron a while longer."

"I have no doubt it will be," Shelby declared as she took a seat on a nearby stool. "You're welcome here as long as you like, even after Rachel graduates."

"We'll keep that in mind," Hiram said before he changed the subject. "Did you talk to Jack?"

"Yes."

"That's all you're going to give me? After all of the delicious meals I've prepared for you, with my special ingredients?"

Shelby laughed. "There's not much else to say. We talked about things, I told him I needed time to think about everything. He volunteered to help."

"Help with what?"

"Whatever I need his help with. He taught music and drama in New York before moving back here, so he helped put on a few school musicals."

"You've been contemplating filling the position of Vocal Adrenaline's assistant coach for a while now, haven't you?"

"I'm not ready to work that closely with him, but yes. I've also thought about bringing in Sara's old dance partner, Oliver, in to teach some new moves to the kids. I have to talk to Piper and see what I'm allowed to do."

"Genevieve and I have planned a menu for the Halloween party. We figured they would probably want more of a buffet-style set-up where they can kind of eat whenever they're hungry."

Shelby nodded in agreement. "I have to agree. Rachel said Holly wants to decorate the house, at least the main level and the front of it. I guess they have everything all planned out."

"I don't doubt that they do. Leroy hasn't liked any of my ideas for costumes, so we'll still in the planning stage for that one."

"Holly already decided on mine."

"You let your niece plan your costume?"

Shelby laughed. "I actually really like it, so yes. She wants me to be an Egyptian queen. She assures me it will be a low-maintenance costume."

"And you believed her?"

Shelby laughed. "No, but it's nothing compared to the costumes she has planned for Sara and Nick. She's sticking with the royalty theme, but they are to be a medieval king and queen instead."

This time is was Hiram's turn to laugh. "Here I thought our daughter had some grand ideas. I think her cousin has her beat."

"She does. Holly loves Halloween, so she really took the idea and ran with it. Sara's just happy that Holly is doing so well in school now and that she finally chose to date a boy both she and Nick like. I think she's going along with it with little fuss as sort of a reward for Holly."

"That makes sense," Hiram agreed with a nod. "Rachel said Liam is going to be transferring to Carmel, too?"

"Yes. He wants to join the football team. He and Puck became fast friends, and Puck has been helping him. I guess they were talking about coaches and Puck mentioned how much Shannon has taught him in just a couple of months. Apparently he even got Holly's permission before he talked to Sara and Nick about it."

"It sounds like we'll have one more person to root for when we go to the football games then," Hiram declared.

Shelby nodded in agreement before continuing the easy conversation with her long-time friend.

* * *

"Do you have to get up? I'm comfortable," Rachel protested when Jesse made a move to stand up once the musical was finished.

Jesse chuckled and then brushed his lips with hers. "If you want to continue this musical marathon, then yes, I do."

"Fine, but hurry."

Jesse smiled and nodded before he stood to quickly switch out the movies.

"What's next?" Rachel asked as he returned to her side and pulled her into his embrace again.

" _Grease_."

"The inspiration for our Halloween costumes."

"We have to make sure we're familiar with the songs if we're going to sing them next week."

Rachel giggled as she curled further into her boyfriend's embrace. "Assuming I agree to duet with you."

"Are you suggesting I have to convince you?" Jesse asked, raising an eyebrow at his girlfriend in question.

Rachel smiled innocently. "It's been so long, how do I know we still sound good together?"

"You don't. We sound  _perfect_  together. Just sounding good together won't suffice," Jesse answered before leaning down to capture Rachel's lips with his.

When they ended the kiss, Rachel kept her hand at the base of Jesse's neck and pulled him back down for another kiss as she said, "Mm. I think I need more convincing."

* * *

"Shelby, is everything okay?" Piper asked as she and Shelby sat down in her office the next morning.

"Everything is fine. I have a favor to ask, though."

"What's that?"

"I want to give my team the opportunity for time to work on their pieces for the holiday concert, which with as much time during rehearsal that is spent working on our competition numbers, is getting to be a little bit more difficult than I had anticipated."

"You aren't backing out, are you? I've already sent the promotional information to the printers."

"No. My kids would be as disappointed as I'm sure everyone else would be. I also don't want to take away their study periods or their weekends off, so I was thinking if we could bring in someone who could teach my advanced music class, the members of my team could have the option of attending the class or working with me on their holiday concert pieces."

"Did you have someone in mind?"

"Yes. His name is Jack Canton; he's…an old friend…of mine. He taught music and drama in New York. He recently re-located to Ohio and is looking for work. He's qualified."

"Would he be willing to meet with me later today? I also want names of and numbers for people at his previous school that I could speak with to verify."

"I'll see what I can do."

"I'll stop by your office before lunch; is that enough time?"

"It should be."

* * *

Walking into her office, Shelby shut the door and took a deep breath before dialing the number that would connect her with her ex.

"Shelby?" Jack answered, obviously surprised.

"I'm taking you up on your offer," Shelby answered.

Jack was silent for a moment as took in Shelby's words. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"I spoke to the principal here at Carmel, told her that I wanted to spend more time with the members of my team helping them with their holiday concert pieces. I also said I didn't want to take away their weekends off or their study periods, nor did I want to abandon the class altogether. I suggested you could take over at least my advanced music class, and told her about your qualifications. She wants names and numbers of people in New York who could verify them before she meets with you later this afternoon."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Are you saying you don't want to help anymore?"

"No. I'm just surprised, that's all. One day you aren't talking to me at all, the next you agree to hear me out, and then following you're trying to get me a job. It's all kind of sudden."

"Just forget it, then," Shelby said, prepared to hang up.

"Damn it, Shelby," Jack swore. "Just hang on a minute."

"I don't have time to  _hang on a minute_. If you're not going to do what you told me you would, then this conversation is over."

"I  _am_  still willing to help, however you need me to. I just didn't expect you to a. actually call me, and b. want my help so soon."

"Well I did both. What's your decision, Jack? I have a class to teach."

"I'll send over the contact information and be there this afternoon."

"Good," Shelby said before she hung up, ending the conversation with a small smile on her face. The fact that she was able to get under Jack's skin told her a lot about how he still felt about her.

* * *

"You graduated from Carmel?" Piper asked as she looked over Jack's résumé.

"Technically, yes. I transferred here my senior year, but I was accepted into Tisch's early acceptance program, so I left Ohio before graduation."

"Not an easy program to get into. You're only the second person I've met who has gotten into that."

"If you don't mind me asking, who was the other person?"

"Shelby, of course."

Jack was silent as he filed that particular piece of information, making a mental note to ask Shelby about it later and wondering how they had missed each other if they had not only been in the same city, but in the same  _school_.

"I get the feeling you and Shelby are more than just old friends, as she called it."

Jack nodded. "She and I dated while we were students here. I moved here to win her back," he told her honestly.

Piper set the piece of paper down on her desk before she looked at Jack again. "I don't have a problem with faculty dating; I have a problem when it interferes with their work."

"I can assure you that Shelby and I will keep things professional while at school. I intend to get her back, but I won't let it interfere with my work."

"Well, I thank you for being honest with me. I don't normally hire people once the school term has already begun, but since Shelby is doing me a favor by putting together this holiday concert, I'm making an exception. This is temporary, unless both Shelby and I think it would be beneficial to make it a permanent position."

"I understand."

"I'll let you tell Shelby the news yourself, since I suspect you have something else you want to speak with her about. If she has any questions, you can tell her to let me know."

"Thank you," Jack said, standing to shake Piper's hand.

Piper smiled at him. "You're welcome. And for the record, I hope you succeed. Shelby needs someone like you."

"You hardly know me."

"You relocated to Ohio from New York. That in and of itself speaks volumes."

Jack returned Piper's smile. "I just have to convince Shelby to see it that way."

Piper chuckled. "Good luck, Jack."

Jack nodded in thanks as he left Piper's office and made his way to Shelby's.

* * *

Walking into the music area, Jack was surprised to hear music coming from the choir room. Shelby had mentioned this was the time during which she had office hours and she generally stayed in her office in case her students had questions. When he heard a voice begin to sing, he figured Rachel must have talked her mother into letting her use the room, since it was also her study period.

"You look confused," Shelby observed as she noticed Jack standing in the doorway to her office.

"You got into Tisch's early acceptance program?"

"Who told you that?"

"Piper."

Shelby sighed. "Yes. I got in. I agreed to go before I knew you had gotten engaged to someone else. By the time I found out, it was too late to back out. I did my best to avoid you."

"We were in the same city, at the  _same school_ , and you never said anything?"

"Did you not hear a word I just said? As far as I knew, you were happily engaged to  _another woman_. I didn't figure she'd particularly enjoy having your ex-girlfriend hanging around."

"By the time we found out our parents had run the announcement, we had already called everything off."

"Like I said, I did my best to avoid you."

"Obviously you succeeded."

"Well, you didn't come looking for me, either, so you can't throw any stones."

"I'm not trying to. I'm just trying to figure out how we missed so many years and what suddenly changed your mind about having me around."

Shelby shrugged. "I needed an assistant, you were the most qualified."

Jack closed the door to Shelby's office before he spoke again. "You can stop trying to lie to me, Shelby. I can see right through that show face of yours, remember?"

Shelby glared at him. "I never agreed to let you back into my life, so it doesn't matter."

"Stop pushing me away. It's not a crime to let someone love you. At least you know how I feel about you. I'm still wondering what the hell is going on in that head of yours."

"So I'm just supposed to let you back in, just like that? You explained your side of things, so I should automatically forgive you? I'm not sixteen anymore, Jack."

Jack threw up his hands. "I know that. I'm just trying to make you understand that  _I still love you_  and I want to be with you. I'm not trying to get you to let me back in so I can walk away again. I can see myself loving Rachel like she's my own daughter, she's a great kid and I'm glad you have her in your life. I get that she's precious to you and part of you is looking out for her, too. I let her essentially interrogate me because I know she did it out of love for you.  _You_  are the reason I came back to Ohio.  _You_  are the only one I have  _ever_  loved."

Shelby was silent as she contemplated Jack's words. "You want to know how I feel?" she finally asked.

Jack nodded, but otherwise said nothing.

Taking a deep breath, Shelby began to speak. "I'm confused. I'm scared…no, I'm terrified. You've always made me feel so many things and feel them so intensely. When all of those feelings suddenly come rushing back because you're too damn impatient to wait for me to agree to talk to you, so you decide to just show up here, it's enough to rattle me. I don't rattle easily, Jack."

"Shelby…"

"I'm not finished. I meant what I said about you being the most qualified person to the position of my assistant. You said you wanted to help; I'm giving you the opportunity to prove that you mean it. I need more time with my team, this is the best way to do it without making them feel like I'm taking something away from them or punishing them somehow. I take these competitions and concerts just as seriously as they do. You can't push me to make the decision you think I should."

"You make it sound like the only reason you're letting me anywhere near you is because I taught music and drama back in New York."

Shelby shrugged, her face a mask of indifference. "Think what you want, I guess. My opinion never mattered much before, why should it now."

"Your opinions always mattered."

"Only when you agreed with them."

"That's not true, and you know it."

"You never bothered to ask if I still wanted you around."

"Then or now?"

"Both!"

"You flat out told me to leave and that you never wanted to see me again. I didn't think there was much room for discussion there."

"You pissed me off! I let my temper get the better of me! You just told me you could see through my show face, how were you not able to through it then?!"

"My own temper got the better of me, too."

"Once you calmed down, why didn't you come after me? Or at the very least, tell me you were leaving? I had to find out by going to school on the following Monday and overhearing Jason tell Laura that you had left."

"I'm  _sorry_. How many more times do I have to say it?" Jack asked, stepping closer to Shelby.

"How do you know we'd even be compatible anymore?" Shelby retorted as she stood.

"Just a feeling I have."

"I need more of a concrete answer than that."

Instead of answering, Jack closed the distance between Shelby and himself before bending his head to press his lips to hers. After recovering from her surprise at Jack's actions, which really shouldn't have been that surprising in the first place, Shelby began to tentatively kiss him back.

"That's how I know," Jack told her once they had broken the kiss. "Add that to the fact that you can still get under my skin after all these years, you still know what buttons to push and I think you have your answer."

Shelby nodded, unable to find her voice.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Shelby," Jack said before walking out the door.

Sitting down in her chair once more, Shelby closed her eyes and began to take a few deep breaths to try and calm her rapidly beating heart.

* * *

"Who's the hunky guy who just left your office, Shelby?" Emma wondered as she entered the space Jack had just recently vacated.

"My ex," Shelby answered.

Emma's lips twitched as she fought back her laughter. "From the looks of it, he doesn't intend to have that title for much longer."

"He doesn't," Shelby agreed.

"Is he your new assistant? I saw him leave Piper's office earlier."

"I might regret it, but yes."

"He's very handsome. I think you two would look good together."

Shelby frowned. "You're not being very helpful, Emma."

This time Emma did laugh. "I'm sorry, I can't help it. You're my friend; I want you to be as happy as I am with Carl."

"I've been that happy," Shelby confessed. "I was sixteen and in love with Jack-the guy who just left."

"I think you still love him."

Shelby sighed. "I  _do_  still love him, but I don't want to admit that to him."

"I think you should."

"What good would it do?"

Emma sent her friend a sympathetic look. "If this is the guy you told me about when I was debating whether or not to tell Carl how I felt about him, then he was just as hurt by what happened as you were. I think it would give him hope. So your happy ending didn't go as you thought it would, that doesn't mean you should just give up on it."

"He proposed to another woman, Emma."

"I understand that. He admitted it was a mistake, though, didn't he?"

Shelby nodded. "He told me he was thinking about me the whole time," she admitted.

"Then I think he deserves a second chance. You said Rachel already likes him, and it appears the feeling is mutual, so you don't need to worry about how she's going to react."

"How do you know the feeling is mutual?" Shelby wondered.

"As he was leaving, Rachel caught his attention, asked him if he would accompany her and Jesse on a song. He seemed more than happy to oblige her."

"He did?"

Emma nodded. "He's trying to heal your heart as well as his. He must love you deeply if he came all the way back here once he found out you had gone looking for him. Plus, he clearly already adores Rachel, what more could you want?"

"How is it you give such good advice?"

Emma laughed as she pointed to herself. "Guidance counselor. Advice is kind of my thing."

Shelby laughed along with her friend as she stood and hugged her. "That's true. Thanks, Emma."

"You're very welcome. Do you mind if I tag along? I'd like to meet Jack."

"Sure, why not," Shelby said before walking out the office, leading the way to the choir room.

* * *

Walking into the choir room, Shelby saw Rachel standing near the piano, Jesse's arms wrapped around her, as she listened to the song Jack was currently playing on the piano. They had been joined by the rest of their group as well, who all seemed to be intent on listening to the song.

 _It's like a storm_  
That cuts a path  
It breaks your will  
It feels like that  
You think you're lost  
But you're not lost on your own  
you're not alone

As she listened to the lyrics, Holly drew Dominic's arms tighter around her, smiling a little when she felt him press a kiss to her temple. Glancing at her aunt, she wasn't surprised to see her looking rather emotional already. Next to her, Ms. Pillsbury-Howell was already wiping her eyes as Jack began to sing the chorus, looking straight at Shelby as he did so.

 _I will stand by you_  
I will help you through  
When you've done all you can do  
If you can't cope  
I will dry your eyes  
I will fight your fight  
I will hold you tight  
And I won't let go

Turning in Jesse's arms, Rachel wrapped her own tightly around his waist as she laid her head on his chest and did her best to hold back her tears. She knew she couldn't look at her mother or her best friend because that would only make her cry. She had never heard the song before, but she already thought it was beautiful and obviously very heartfelt. Feeling Jesse's arms tighten around her, Rachel closed her eyes as she listened to both the steady beat of Jesse's heart and Jack's singing.

 _I will stand by you_  
I will help you through  
When you've done all you can do  
And you can't cope  
I will dry your eyes  
I will fight your fight  
I will hold you tight

Seeing Santana's tears, Puck was a bit surprised. He'd only seen her cry on a handful of occasions, but every time he had, she had wanted him to hold her. While they usually left the public displays of affection for Rachel and Jesse, Puck opted to pull his girlfriend into his arms anyway, hoping she would appreciate the gesture. When he was rewarded with a kiss on his cheek and her resting her head on his shoulder, he tightened his arms around her, content to just hold her.

 _And I won't let you fall_  
Don't be afraid to fall  
I'm right here to catch you  
I won't let you down  
It won't get you down  
you're gonna make it  
Yeah I know you can make it

Sitting with his arm looped through his boyfriend's and their fingers laced together, Kurt laid his head on Blaine's shoulder as he listened to the song and watched the different couples. When he felt Blaine squeeze his hand, he looked up at him to see that he had tears in his eyes as well. With a small smile, Kurt scooted closer and squeezed Blaine's hand back.

 _Cause I will stand by you_  
I will help you through  
When you've done all you can do  
And you can't cope  
And I will dry your eyes  
I will fight your fight  
I will hold you tight  
And I won't let go  
Oh I'm gonna hold you  
And I won't let go  
Won't let you go  
No I won't

Unable to help the tears, Shelby wiped furiously at her eyes. Jack had made it clear the song was for her, and she was both touched and a little bit overwhelmed. Emma wasn't helping matters by the fact that she was crying too. Even Holly and Santana seemed a little emotional, which didn't happen that often. When he finished the song, Jack stood and walked over to her, taking her hand in his as he led her back to her office.

* * *

As she glanced around the room at her friends, Rachel managed a watery laugh. "What a group of emotional messes we are," she said.

"How are you going to top that one, St. James?" Puck wondered.

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked when he couldn't figure out what Puck was referring to.

"We all know you're already planning some grand scheme for when you and Berry get married, you're going to have to find a way to top the performance we just witnessed."

"I'll figure something out," Jesse said confidently.

Rachel giggled. "He did promise me  _epic_  romance."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Holly added from her place in Dominic's arms.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Jack asked as he closed the door to Shelby's office and saw her sink down into her chair.

"No! You can't do that here, Jack. I can't be an emotional mess when I'm supposed to be leading a team or teaching a class."

"I'm sorry?"

"No, you're not."

Jack chuckled. "Okay, I'm not. I honestly didn't know you even knew I was still here. I had finished playing the song Rachel requested, and I started playing the melody without really thinking about it. She wanted to know what the name of the song was, and once she found out, she asked me to play it."

"That's all it took?"

"Jesse and Puck wanted to hear it, too, but pretty much, yeah. How did you know I was still here, anyway?"

"Emma told me. She said Rachel caught you on your way out and asked you to accompany her and Jesse on a number."

"She did, and I agreed to it. I didn't go in there with the intention of playing that song, or making you cry because of it."

"How long ago did you write that?"

"A few years ago. I wrote it with you in mind, and had hoped to perform it for you someday."

"Stop."

"Stop what?" Jack wondered.

"Stop saying all of these romantic things to me," Shelby demanded.

"Why? They're true."

"You left, Jack."

"And now I'm back. For good. I'm not going anywhere, Shelly, not without you."

"You can't call me that, either."

"Why not?" Jack challenged.

"Because we're not together!" Shelby exclaimed. "I told you to give me time, and then first you kiss me, then you leave me standing here while you casually throw a 'see you tomorrow, Shelby' over your shoulder. On top of that, you sing a song you wrote for me when you knew I was listening. That's not fair."

"Are you finished?"

"Finished what?"

"Ranting."

"No. I didn't get to the worst thing you've done since barging back into my life."

Jack's lips twitched as he fought back his laughter at Shelby's choice of words and the snapping fire he saw in her eyes.

"What's that?" he asked finally.

"You made me realize that I'm still in love with you too."

"You are?"

Shelby threw up her hands as she began to pace. "Of course I am, you idiot. Why else would I be getting so worked up about you coming back?"

Jack shrugged as he watched her pace. "I don't know, because you secretly hate my guts and want to see me die a slow, painful death?"

Shelby stopped pacing to shoot her ex a look. "And people think  _I'm_  dramatic."

"You are."

Shelby crossed her arms over her chest as she shot Jack another look, clearly telling him she wasn't amused. Jack chuckled as he walked over to her and uncrossed her arms, taking her hands in his as he did so.

"I'll do this however you want, so long as you agree to give me another chance to prove to you how much I love you. I understand that it's not just you anymore, and I'm perfectly fine with that. I've been able to see firsthand what you meant when you said you couldn't regret having Rachel. She's a great kid and I'd love to get to know her better, too. At the end of the day, though, it's  _you_  I want, Shelby. I already assured Rachel I would be here for you, support you however I can."

"What all did she ask you?" Shelby wondered.

"Pretty much everything she could think of. I don't remember you or Hiram being quite that…inquisitive, though, so I'm not sure where she got that particular trait," Jack answered.

"She's obviously been observing Leroy. He's a lawyer."

Jack nodded in understanding. "Makes sense."

"How do you feel about Egyptian pharaohs?"

"I don't know. Why?" Jack asked, confused at the sudden change of subject.

"Holly and Rachel decided my costume for Vocal Adrenaline's Halloween party is an Egyptian queen."

Jack smiled as he caught on to Shelby's train of thought. "The pharaohs were the kings, right?"

Shelby nodded. "You don't even have to worry about designing your costume, just let Holly do it."

"Now there's a girl who's a lot like her mother."

Shelby laughed. "Just don't tell her that. My mother loves to remind her and Sara of that fact as often as she can."

"So, back to this Halloween party. Does this mean you're inviting me?"

"If you think you can handle a house full of teenagers," Shelby answered.

"I'm up for the challenge. Every queen needs her king, right?"

"I suppose we could see if it works."

Jack chuckled as he let go of Shelby's hands to slide his arms around her waist and pull her closer.

"What are you doing?" Shelby asked as she unconsciously slid her arms around Jack's neck.

"Kissing you," Jack replied before bending his head and capturing Shelby's lips with his.

* * *

"Do you know why Jack was here in the first place?" Kurt asked his best friend as she took a seat next to him.

Rachel shrugged. "I'm not sure. My mom was saying something about trying to figure out how to give us more time with her to work on our pieces of the holiday concert without taking time away from our regular rehearsals or taking away either our study period or weekends off. She also didn't want to cancel the class for a few weeks so she could use that time. Maybe she's finally consented to an assistant."

"It's not like he's not qualified," Jesse added. "He taught music in New York for years."

"He gave up New York for Ohio?" Santana asked incredulously. " _Debe ser amor_."

" _Je suis d'accord_ ," Holly added from her seat on the other side of Blaine.

"I think it's sweet," Kurt insisted.

Rachel smiled at her best friend. "I do, too," she said before turning to her cousin. "You know, if Jack gets invited to the Halloween party, you'll have another costume to plan."

Holly shrugged. "He'd just be an Egyptian pharaoh.  _Assez simple_."

Rachel shook her head as she sat back in her seat to lounge against Jesse. "Of course you'd have a complementary costume planned out already."

"I learn from the best," Holly insisted with a grin for her cousin.

"You're just having too much fun with this," Rachel retorted with a laugh.

"I agree with Rachel," Dominic teased.

" _Personne ne vous a demandé_ ," Holly responded, making Dominic chuckle as he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Another pair of  _tortolitos_ ," Santana said with a sigh.

Before any of the other members of the group had a chance to say anything, they saw Shelby walk into the room. Knowing she would want to get started right away, they gave her their full attention.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Debe ser amor = it must be love_

_Je suis d'accord = I agree_

_Assez simple = simple enough_

_Personne ne vous a demandé = nobody asked you_

_Tortolitos = lovebirds_

Next chapter = Halloween Party! :) I have posted pictures of the costumes on my tumblr too, if anyone wants to see what they look like.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N:** As always, translations will be at the bottom, and I'll include the web address of my tumblr there too.

Apparently FF. net likes to delete my underlines, so hopefully everything makes sense. I've tried editing this a few times, but every time I save it, my underlines get erased. *sigh* (I copied and pasted all of my chapters from ff . net, so I'm leaving this here in case there's any confusion as to who sings what)

**Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, St. Berry would be well on their way to conquering first NYADA, then Broadway, together. I don't own any of the songs used in this chapter either.

* * *

"I think you need to re-evaluate your statement that Holly is the only one who takes Halloween to a completely different level," Jack said as he walked into Shelby's office the afternoon of Vocal Adrenaline's Halloween party.

Shelby looked up from the lesson plan she'd been working on. "Carmel is having a Halloween costume contest today," she explained before attempting to go back to what she was doing.

"Are you just going to give me the silent treatment all day?"

Shelby glared at him. "I'm busy," she replied.

"You've been acting weird since last night. What aren't you telling me?"

"I am  _not_  acting  _weird_ , thank you."

"Fine. You're acting  _differently_  towards me than you have every other day since I've been helping you."

"I'm  _busy_ , Jack. I have work to do. Sectionals are in three weeks and I just got the list of the teams we'll be going up against."

"Okay…so, they're…what? Better than you thought?"

Shelby shook her head. "One of them is the team from Rachel's old school. I haven't told her yet."

Jack was silent for a moment as he contemplated Shelby's words. "You don't want to spoil her mood for the party, but you want to tell the team."

"Pretty much," Shelby conceded with a sigh.

"Does Jesse know?"

"You and I are the only two."

"She's going to know something's up. She's just as intuitive as you are."

Shelby sat back in her chair. "That's what troubles me. I don't want to upset  _her_  by telling her, but  _she_  will know something's up if I keep it to myself."

"I don't know Rachel as well as you do, but I think she'd appreciate you telling her and not keeping it from her."

"That's pretty much the same conclusion I reached, so I asked her and Jesse to meet me here after lunch."

"Since you're here, I think I'll take you up on that offer to help," Shelby said as she stood and grabbed her keys.

"What are you planning?" Jack asked, knowing the light that appeared in Shelby's eyes meant she had an idea.

Shelby smiled at him as she led him out into the hallway and then locked her office door. "Just a fun little number for the team. I need to move some things, though. So you're going to help."

"I am?"

Shelby nodded. "Yes, you are. You said you'd help however I needed you to. I'm holding you to that."

Deciding to take advantage of Shelby's newfound good mood, Jack simply nodded and followed her.

* * *

"Do you know what my mom wants to meet with us about?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse walked towards her mother's office.

Jesse shook his head. "No idea. She didn't say. She just said she wanted to see us after lunch, and that it was important."

Rachel frowned. "Sounds rather ominous."

Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm sure it will be fine," he told her.

Rachel nodded, wanting to believe her boyfriend but also unable to shake the feeling she was about to get some bad news.

Sensing his girlfriend's unease, Jesse spoke again. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it. I love you, I'm here for you."

Rachel smiled up at her boyfriend. "I love you, too," she said, leaning up to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

* * *

"Mom," Rachel said as she and Jesse walked into Shelby's office.

"Is everything okay?" Jesse asked as he shut the door.

"I'm not sure," Shelby answered honestly.

"What's wrong?" Rachel wanted to know, mentally bracing herself for horrible news.

"I found out who we'll be going up against at Sectionals," Shelby began.

"New Directions is on that list," Jesse guessed as Rachel held his hand in a death grip.

Shelby nodded. "I wanted to tell you two before I told the rest of the team," she confirmed.

Rachel exchanged a look with her boyfriend before turning to her mother. "We'll just have to crush them, then. I want that National title, and I'm not going to let a bunch of bullies from my old school get in the way of that. Vocal Adrenaline is ten times better than they are, even on a bad day."

Shelby smiled at her daughter. "I agree. With you and Jesse at the helm, there's no doubt in my mind about that."

"Who's the third team?" Jesse wondered.

"Jane Addams," Shelby answered.

Jesse rolled his eyes, earning a confused look from his girlfriend. "They use tricks and gimmicks to distract from the fact that they can't sing or dance well," he explained.

"They also like to threaten to steal set lists," Shelby added.

"Can they do that?" Rachel wondered.

Shelby shook her head. "No. We all had to submit our set lists weeks ago. I submitted ours months ago, so we could be guaranteed the songs we wanted. There can be no repeats, no stealing. If a team is found to be in possession of their rival's set list, they're immediately disqualified."

Rachel stood and hugged her mother. "Thank you for telling me first," she said as she pulled back.

"You're not upset?"

Rachel shook her head. "It just makes me more determined to beat them. I just have to worry about keeping Santana and Holly from beating up Sasha and Mercedes."

Jesse snickered at the mention of their former teammate. "I wonder how much she regrets agreeing to work with Mercedes in the first place," he said.

"Quite a lot, I would guess. People think I have a diva attitude sometimes, but it's  _nothing_  compared to Mercedes'."

"Now that the bad news is over, it's time for the good news," Shelby told her.

Rachel exchanged a confused look with Jesse before turning back to her mother. "What's the good news?"

Shelby smiled at her daughter and future son-in-law. "A certain musical number inspired by your costumes. It's all set up in the auditorium; everyone is waiting for you two."

Rachel let out a squeal of excitement as she first hugged her mother tightly and then grabbed Jesse's hand, tugging him behind her as she practically ran down the hall. With a laugh, Shelby followed close behind.

"That sounds like it went well," Jack observed from the doorway to the choir room.

Shelby nodded. "She's just more determined than ever now."

Jack chuckled. "Somehow that doesn't completely surprise me."

"Are you busy?"

"When? Now?"

"Yes. Now. If you want to be promoted to assistant coach, you should familiarize yourself with the team," Shelby answered before continuing down the hall towards the auditorium.

With a smile, Jack shut the choir room door behind him and then followed Shelby.

* * *

"About time you got here!" Holly called out when she saw Rachel and Jesse walk into the room.

"I'd be nice to me if I were you," Rachel retorted with a laugh as she took a seat between her cousin and Santana.

"Why is that?"

"Because I convinced my Mom to let us have the party in the first place."

"Oh. Right."

Rachel laughed again as she looked around. "What's with lunch table and bleacher type set up?"

"Can't you guess?" Kurt asked with a grin.

"Apparently Holly wasn't the only one  _inspirado_  by your choice of musical," Santana added.

Before Rachel could say anything else, she heard first the opening music to a certain song and then Jesse singing the first line.

**Summer lovin' had me a blast**   
_Summer lovin' happened so fast_   
**I met a girl crazy for me**   
_Met a boy cute as can be_   
_**Summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights** _   
_**Uh Well-a well-a well-a huh** _   
**Tell me more, tell me more**

Deciding that this musical scene re-enactment was a lot more fun than he'd anticipated and remembering Rachel telling him this part always made her think of him, Puck took the next line himself.  
 **Did you get very far?**

_ Tell me more, tell me more _

Enjoying herself, Melina decided to sing the first Pink Ladies solo.

_Like does he have a car?_

_**Uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh** _   
**She swam by me, she got a cramp**   
_He ran by me, got my suit damp_   
**I saved her life, she nearly drowned**   
_He showed off, splashing around_   
_**Summer sun, something's begun, but uh-oh those summer nights** _   
_**Uh well-a well-a well-a huh** _   
_ Tell me more, tell me more _

Taking the next solo, Kurt shared a smile with his best friend. Considering himself an honorary girl, he had asked Shelby to let him sing with the girls on this song. Much to his excitement, she had agreed.

_Was it love at first sight?_

**Tell me more, tell me more**

Putting his hands up like he was going to box, Blaine sang the next line himself.

**Did she put up a fight?**

_**Uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh** _   
**Took her bowling in the arcade**   
_We went strolling, drank lemonade_   
**We made out under the dock**   
_We stayed out 'till ten o'clock_   
**Summer fling, don't mean a thing, but uh-oh those summer nights**   
_**Uh well-a well-a well-a huh** _   
**Tell me more, tell me more**

Even though he didn't consider himself much of a singer, Dominic opted to take the next line anyway.

**But you don't gotta brag**

_ Tell me more, tell me more _

Adopting her most bored-sounding voice, Santana took what had been Rizzo's line in the musical.

_Cos he sounds like a drag_

_**shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop,shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, YEH** _   
_He got friendly, holding my hand_   
**While she got friendly down in the sand**   
_He was sweet, just turned eighteen_   
**Well she was good you know what I mean**   
_**Woah!** _   
_**Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but uh-oh those summer nights** _   
_**woo, woo, woo** _   
_ Tell me more, tell me more _

With a wink for her cousin, Holly sang the final Pink Ladies solo.

_How much dough did he spend?_

**Tell me more, tell me more**

At Jesse's nod, Chris took the last T-birds solo.

**Could she get me a friend?**

Once Chris had finished his line, Rachel and Jesse alternated lines once more before ending the song together.

_It turned colder - that's where it ends_   
**So I told her we'd still be friends**   
_Then we made our true love vow_   
**Wonder what she's doing now**   
_**Summer dreams ripped at the seams,  
bu-ut oh, those su-ummer nights...** _

* * *

As Jesse and Rachel finished the song, Jack turned to Shelby, surprise written all over his face.

" _That's_  what they sound like when they're just having fun?" he asked.

Shelby smiled and nodded. "Yes. Is that so surprising?"

"With you as their coach? Not so much."

"I get the feeling there was a compliment in there somewhere."

Jack chuckled. "There was."

With an amused smile still on her face, Shelby stood and walked onto the stage to talk with her team while Jack remained seated as he watched her.

* * *

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Rachel exclaimed as she hugged her mother tightly.

Shelby returned her daughter's hug as her smile grew. "You're very welcome. I expect this isn't the only song from that particular musical we'll be hearing tonight, though."

Rachel smiled and shook her head before returning to Jesse's side.

"Why is Jack here?" Holly asked.

"He's been helping me out the last few days, I figured he deserved a reward," Shelby responded, not seeing Jack furrow his eyebrows at her answer or the look Rachel and Jesse exchanged.

"I think  _we_  deserve a reward too."

"I agree."

"You do?"

"Yes. Sectionals are coming up, but I can see how much you all put into your costumes, so I won't make you change for rehearsal. I have a couple of announcements to make, and then I'd like to run through the vocals for our songs, but then you can go."

"We know who our competition for Sectionals is," Rachel revealed before her mother could say anything else.

"Who is it?" Santana asked.

"New Directions and the Jane Addams girls," Shelby answered.

"Isn't New Directions the name of the team from McKinley?" Nina wondered.

"Yes, and we're going to kick their ass," Jesse answered as he wrapped his arms tightly around his girlfriend.

"They're a bunch of bullies who don't deserve to be in the competition in the first place," Holly put in.

"Unfortunately, that's not for us to decide. If they're deluded enough to think they can realistically beat us, they have a lot to learn," Shelby replied.

"Judging from their attitudes, I'd have to say they  _are_  that deluded."

"We can't be complacent," Rachel added. "It's still a competition and we have to impress the judges in order to advance to Regionals."

"Your Mom would  _never_  let us be complacent," Andrea told her, "and we _will_  impress the judges."

* * *

"Hi."

Jack looked over at the sound of the voice to find that Rachel had sat down on the couch beside him. "Hi," he returned. "Are you having fun?"

Rachel nodded. "But you're not."

Jack chuckled. "You really are a lot like your mother sometimes. What makes you say that?"

"You don't really know any of us very well yet, plus none of my parents have made an appearance yet. Kind of boring for you, plus you're thinking about the reward comment my Mom made earlier."

"I am kind of interested to see this music room that I keep hearing so much about. Care to give me a tour while we wait for the rest of your family to make their appearances?"

Rachel smiled. "I'd be happy to."

* * *

A short while later, after showing Jack both the music room and the stage/theater set up downstairs, Rachel spotted her dads. Grabbing Jack's hand, she tugged him towards them.

"Dad, Daddy," she said as they approached.

Hiram and Leroy both turned at the sound of their daughter's voice, happy to see that she appeared to be having a good time.

"It's nice to see you again, Jack," Hiram said with a smile, shaking Jack's hand.

"Rachel was giving me a small tour. Genevieve had mentioned Shelby's music room and the stage/theater set up in the basement, and I wanted to see them for myself. I figured there probably wasn't a better person for the job of tour guide than Rachel," Jack replied, returning Hiram's smile.

"Probably not," Hiram agreed. "Leroy, this is Shelby's ex, Jack. Jack, this is my husband, Leroy."

"So you're the reason Rachel interrogated me," Jack said with a laugh as he shook Leroy's hand.

Leroy chuckled. "I guess I am. It's nice to finally meet you."

"The feeling's mutual. Rachel said you and Hiram moved here from Lima as well."

"We were both given opportunities that would let us be near our daughter, we certainly weren't going to pass them up. We'd both been tossing the idea around for a while by that point, anyway. We missed Rachel terribly."

Rachel stepped between her dads with a smile for each of them. "I missed them, too."

"You three make quite the picture. A girl dressed like she's from the '50s and two gangsters," Jack observed with a laugh.

Hiram and Leroy shared a grin with their daughter before turning back to the man in front of them.

"Where's your camera, Daddy?" Rachel asked.

"In the kitchen, on the table," Hiram replied.

"I'll go get it and then we can take a picture together."

* * *

"Stop stalling, Shelby," Sara said as she stood in her sister's room and watched her adjust her costume again.

Shelby shot her sister an annoyed look. "You're not helping."

"You look fine. We wouldn't even be here, having this conversation, if you hadn't invited Jack."

"Says the one who encouraged me to invite him in the first place."

"I didn't think you'd actually do it."

"Are you saying you don't think I should give him a chance now?"

"No. I'm just surprised. You usually ignore me when I make off-handed comments like that, though. I think Jack is just as perfect for you as Jesse is for Rachel and Dominic is for Holly."

"Does Holly know how much you and Nick like Dominic?"

Sara nodded. "She knows. She seems to be fine with it. Before they even got together, she told me she thought she was going to end up marrying him someday."

Shelby smiled. "I seem to recall you saying that exact thing to Mom about Nick."

"I did. I just haven't told Holly that piece of information yet."

"You might want to keep that to yourself for a while," Shelby advised.

Sara laughed. "I'm saving it for  _after_  she's married."

After one last adjustment to her headpiece, Shelby followed her sister out into the hallway.

"Shelby, wait," Sara said, touching her sister's arm.

Shelby turned around, confusion written all over her face. "What is it?" she asked.

"Are you seriously considering letting Jack back into your life?"

Shelby sighed. "He's already back in it. As for he and I having a relationship again…I'm leaning towards yes. Why?"

"Because I'm still your big sister and I want to see you completely happy. Jack is the missing piece, he always has been."

"I know."

* * *

Walking into the living room, Shelby wasn't surprised to find Rachel and Jesse talking with Jack. Ever since they had found out that Jack had lived in New York for years, they'd been pressing him for information about their favorite city.

"You two aren't done questioning him yet?" Shelby joked as she walked up to the trio.

"You look very pretty, Mom," Rachel said with a smile and a hug for her mother.

"Thank you."

"Come on, Rach, I think Holly is trying to get your attention," Jesse said, grabbing Rachel's hand and leading her towards the rest of their group.

"I see Holly didn't torture you too badly," Shelby observed once the teens had walked away.

Jack chuckled. "No, not really. You really do look beautiful, Shelby."

"Thank you," Shelby repeated.

"What are you afraid of? You seem anxious."

"You leaving again," Shelby answered softly.

"I'm  _not_  leaving again, I swear. I don't know how many times I have to say it before you realize that I mean it."

"I've dreamt about you coming back for years…I just never thought it would ever happen."

"And now that it has?"

Shelby sighed. "I'm still not quite sure what to do."

"Why?"

"Because I had accepted the fact that I blew my chance with  _my_  true love. I thought you had married that girl, until Sara told me that you hadn't. Before I had a chance to really digest that piece of information, you showed up in my office."

"If it makes you feel any better, Laura  _and_  Sara yelled at me for that."

Shelby laughed. "It kind of does. Did Laura use your full name?"

"How did you guess?"

"I remember her doing that when she used to get annoyed with you."

Jack chuckled. "That's true. I just used  _her_  full name in retaliation."

"Which I'm sure didn't make her any less mad at you."

"No, it didn't. Answer me something."

"Okay," Shelby answered, unsure where the subject change was heading.

"If you still love me, why won't you give me another chance? What else do you need me to do to prove that I mean every word I've been saying?"

Shelby sighed. "I don't know. We'll talk about it later," she said before walking away.

"Damn it, Shelby, now  _you're_  the one doing the walking away," Jack muttered to himself.

* * *

"May I have this dance?" Jesse asked with an exaggerated bow.

Rachel giggled as she placed her hand in Jesse's and let him pull her into his arms. "Always," she replied, resting her head on his chest.

"Have you chosen a song for our duet later?"

"I have. I'll tell you after our dance."

"I think we should add time for a dance to our nightly rituals."

"I'll take it into consideration."

Jesse chuckled before he pulled back slightly so he could look into Rachel's eyes. "Are you really okay?" he asked.

Rachel didn't even to ask what he was referring to. "I'm  _fine_ , Jess. I promise. Like I said earlier, I'm not going to let a bunch of bullies take that National title from me, from  _our team_. We're a lot better than they are. Besides, I'm sure they're bickering more than they're rehearsing."

"I still hate what they did to you. I know not all of them were part of your former team, but they still had a hand in the hell you went through there."

Rachel smiled as she reached up to cup Jesse's cheek in her hand. "I know you do. The thing is they  _can't_  do any of that any more. I'm not a student at McKinley anymore. My life is a thousand times better now than it was this time last year. I have you, all three of my parents, I've gotten the chance to be close to my cousin, who has become like the sister I never had. Plus, the friends that I  _did_  have there have transferred to Carmel."

Jesse brushed his lips with Rachel's before he spoke again. "You'll always have me," he promised.

"I better," Rachel teased, earning a laugh from her boyfriend.

* * *

"You and Hiram really went all out with this stuff," Joel said as he observed the different food options his fiancée and Hiram had prepared.

Genevieve smiled. "We knew we had to feed a lot of different people. I just hope it's enough food."

"I'm sure it will be."

"If they were older, I think they'd be married by now," Genevieve said.

"Huh?"

"Jesse and Rachel."

Joel shook his head. "You need to tell me when you're changing the subject."

"Sorry. I just think they're so adorable together and she's so good for him."

"It's easy to forget they've only been together a short time."

"They make an awfully cute Danny and Sandy, too."

"I thought you said their costumes were  _inspired_  by the musical, not actually  _from_  it."

"Well those are the two characters most associated with their costumes."

Joel shrugged, knowing trying to debate the subject wouldn't prove anything. He was just happy to be here with her.

* * *

Later that night, once the majority of the team had used the karaoke machine, Rachel handed the microphone to Jack.

"Sing something for us?" she asked.

"I suppose I could. There  _is_  a particular song this outfit kind of makes me think of."

"Besides  _Walk like an Egyptian_?"

Jack laughed. "Yes, besides that."

"Maybe we could sing a duet sometime, too?"

"Sure. I hear you and Jesse have one last duet to sing tonight, too."

Rachel smiled and nodded. "We also planned another group number with the team."

"I'm looking forward to both. Right now, though, I believe I have a song to sing, which I'm hoping a certain brunette pays attention to."

"I'm sure she will," Rachel replied before turning to find her boyfriend and her mother.

**Do you remember**  
When we fell in love  
We were young and innocent then  
Do you remember  
How it all began  
It just seemed like heaven  
So why did it end?

Shelby was attempting to make out a conversation between Holly and Santana when she heard Jack begin to sing. She recognized the song and wasn't overly surprised he had chosen this particular artist. The first time she met him, he'd been singing a Michael Jackson song. While it wasn't this particular song, she could still recall how surprised she'd been to find a boy whose voice rivaled her own. She remembered her daughter making a similar statement about Jesse not long after they had met as well.

"Like mother, like daughter, I guess," she said to herself.

"Rachel said he wrote a song for you," Sara said from her spot next to her sister.

"He wrote it with me in mind, yes."

"Just let him in already, Shelby. You're torturing him. They guy is obviously just as crazy about you now as he was when you were in high school. He's apologized and explained himself. What more do you want him to do? Grovel?"

Shelby sighed. "I don't know."

"I believe him when he says that he loves you. If I had any doubt, I wouldn't have given him any information about you and made sure he never went anywhere near you."

"I know."

* * *

"Do you know what Berry and St. James are singing?" Puck asked his girlfriend as they stood with the rest of their group.

"No, she wouldn't tell me."

"Were you two not paying attention when we were watching the musical?" Kurt wondered. "If you were, you'd be able to figure out what song they're singing."

"Of course they're singing  _that_  song. It screams Rachel and Jesse," Holly said as she shifted on her feet again.

"When did you two switch costumes anyway?" Blaine wondered.

"Just a few minutes ago. My feet were killing me, they still are actually, and I figured my outfit would fit the song better. The only thing she was mad at me about is that I didn't suggest it earlier so she could have curled her hair."

"St. James doesn't seem to mind the outfit change," Puck decided, earning eye rolls from the rest of the group.

"Just hush and listen, you know they'll both be mad if we don't," Kurt told him.

Before anyone had the chance to say anything else, they heard Jesse and Rachel begin to sing.

**I got chills they're multiplying**  
And I'm losing control  
'Cause the power you're supplying  
It's electrifying  
 _You better shape up 'cause I need a man_  
And my heart is set on you  
You better shape up, you better understand  
To my heart I must be true  
Nothing left, nothing left for me to do…

* * *

"You were wonderful, sweetie," Hiram beamed as Rachel walked over to where he and Leroy were standing.

"You seem to be having fun tonight," Leroy commented.

Rachel grinned and nodded as she hugged both of her dads. "I think everyone is, which is what I was aiming for. Are you two having fun?"

Hiram and Leroy both nodded in answer to their daughter's question.

"I think your Daddy and Genevieve may have had  _too much_ fun with the food, though," Leroy added with a laugh.

Rachel giggled. "It's not like there's not plenty of people here to eat it."

"Doesn't your team have another group number planned for tonight?" Hiram wondered.

"Yes, in just a little bit. We're just waiting for Mom to come back. Once the song was over, I saw her walk upstairs, with Jack not far behind her."

"I'm sure she'll be back down in a little bit."

"Jack really is here to stay, right?"

"I believe him when he says he is."

"If he was just planning on leaving again, I highly doubt he would be here right now, dressed in a costume designed by Holly," Leroy agreed.

"Good. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, we found out who we'll be going up against at Sectionals," Rachel said.

"Who are the other teams?" Hiram asked.

"New Directions and the Jane Addams girls."

"Isn't New Directions the team from your old school?"

Rachel nodded. "From what I witnessed when we went to their Invitational, they weren't well rehearsed and seemed to spend more time arguing with each other than anything. Unless they miraculously improve, I don't see them as a threat."

"What about the other team?" Leroy wondered.

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know much about them, only what I was able to find out from Jesse. He doesn't think they'll be much competition either. I told the team that doesn't mean we get to be complacent, though."

"That's a very good attitude to have," Hiram agreed. "Plus, Shelby would never allow it, nor would she allow anything more than good-natured bickering between any of you."

"Thank you again for agreeing to my transfer. I'm really happy here."

Leroy hugged his daughter as he spoke. "You're very welcome, honey. Your Daddy and I are happy to see you thriving here."

"I think your aunt is thankful too," Hiram joked.

Rachel giggled. "Probably."

"Go have fun with your friends, honey, we can talk more later if you'd like," Leroy said.

Rachel nodded, hugging both of her dads once more before walking back over to her group of friends.

* * *

"Shelby, stop," Jack said, grabbing her hand as she walked into the kitchen.

" _Not now_ , Jack. I need to get back downstairs; Rachel said the team has a surprise for me."

"Why am I even here? You've been practically ignoring me since I sang that song earlier."

"Do you honestly think I  _don't_  remember what we had? I thought we would be able to get through anything, but at the first sign of trouble, you left. That doesn't give me much reassurance that it won't happen again."

"I told you-I was young and stupid. I immediately regretted it, but by the time I calmed down, I figured you probably hated me anyway. I thought you wanted to get back together with Blake, for whatever reason. With me out of the way, you could do that."

"You were an idiot then, and you're still an idiot now. I was in love with  _you_. I still am.  _I_ told  _you_  that I'd dreamt about you coming back. I never thought you actually would, so I created a different kind of happiness of my own. Having Rachel is one of the few things in my past that I  _don't_  regret. I hate that I still think what could have been, what  _our_  children would have been like."

"Why?"

"Because! It makes me feel like I'm somehow betraying my daughter, whom I love and adore just the way she is. If we had stayed together, I don't know if I would have been able to have her. I probably wouldn't have answered the ad in the paper that led to Hiram and I becoming friends again, and that led to my friendship with Leroy. They were kind enough to offer me the chance to have a relationship with Rachel."

"I don't think any daughter of ours would have turned out much different than Rachel. It's obvious that you two are close, which is what I would have wanted for any child of ours. She's a great kid, Shel. You, Hiram, and Leroy have done a wonderful job with her. I'm sure you'll continue to. I'm not going to ask you to move back to New York with me. I have friends there I'd like to introduce you to, but as long as I have you, I really don't care where I live. I'm moving into that apartment tomorrow. I'm going to continue to help you however I can."

"I want to meet the girl you almost married."

Jack blinked at her a couple of times before he found his voice. "Fine. I'll call her tomorrow; ask her and her family to visit."

"You two have kept in touch?"

"She was the only person who truly understood how I was feeling. She's been a good friend, as has her husband."

Shelby nodded. "I need to get back downstairs. We'll finish this conversation later."

Jack sighed, but nodded. "I'm holding you to that."

With a small smile, Shelby leaned up to kiss Jack quickly. "I'm sure you will," she said as she walked back towards the basement.

Jack chuckled as he followed her. She may not have said it in so many words yet, but he was confident she had decided to give him another chance.

* * *

"So, what's this big surprise?" Shelby asked as she approached her team.

"You'll see," Rachel replied with a smile. "That's the point of a surprise."

Shelby smiled and nodded. "I suppose it is."

"Just go stand by my dads, and watch," Rachel told her before leading the team onto the stage.

Doing as her daughter instructed, Shelby walked over to Hiram and Leroy, where she was pleasantly surprised to find her sister and brother-in-law, Jacqueline, and Genevieve and Joel.

"Which Greek goddess are you again?" Shelby asked Jacqueline.

"Aphrodite," Jacqueline replied with a smile.

"Minus the blonde hair," Genevieve added.

"All of the wigs looked ridiculous, and I wasn't about to dye my own hair blonde."

"You don't see many blonde witches, either," Joel added.

Shelby laughed. "Thank you both for all of your help. I know Jesse is happy to have you here, too. It's nice to see him finally have some support from his family."

"Hasn't Janelle always been supportive?" Jacqueline wondered.

"She has, but having more people from his family support him is nice to see."

"I just wish our father would stop trying to get at Jesse's trust fund. He already took the money, and then was forced to put it back. You think he'd learn his lesson," Genevieve grumbled.

"Not likely," Joel muttered.

"I'm afraid Martin takes being stubborn to entirely different level," Jacqueline said, "but it seems like the group is ready to start, so let's pay attention."

The rest of the adults nodded as they listened to the team begin to sing.

_We go together_  
Like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong  
Remembered forever  
As shoobop sha wadda wadda yippity boom de boom  
Chang chang changitty chang shoobop  
That's the way it should be, wha oooh, yeah…

* * *

Once the performance was over, Shelby walked over to her team with a smile on her face.

"How long have you been practicing that?"

"We used some of our time before rehearsal the past few weeks. When you agreed to the Halloween party, we decided to surprise you here," Rachel answered.

"Did you like it?" Jesse asked.

Shelby smiled and nodded. "You all were wonderful. Tomorrow is back to working on Sectionals, though."

"I just wish we didn't have to  _réveiller_  so early," Holly muttered as she leaned against Dominic, earning laughter from the rest of the team.

"You'll survive," Shelby told her.

"I'll buy you coffee, and even drive you to rehearsal tomorrow," Dominic said to his girlfriend.

"Fine."

Shelby laughed. "I'll see you all in the morning. Drive safely," she told them before walking back to where her sister stood.

* * *

"You were serious about the coffee and ride to rehearsal thing, right?" Holly asked as she and Dominic sat on Shelby's front porch together.

"Yeah. My dad and Nell went to get Melina's car tonight, so I'm sure she'll want to drive it tomorrow."

"Is that the only reason you offered?"  
"No. It also means I get to spend more time with you. I was thinking we could do the dinner and a movie thing after rehearsal too."

"A movie at one of our houses or in an actual theater?"

"Actual theater. Your choice."

"Deal," Holly said, pulling Dominic down for a kiss.

* * *

"Do you think my Mom and Jack will get back together soon?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse curled together in bed later that night.

"Probably," Jesse answered. "Gen said Jack is moving into an apartment tomorrow, so he obviously plans on sticking around."

"I like him. I think he'll be good for her."

"Like we are for each other."

Rachel grinned at her boyfriend. "Yes. Once you find your perfect match, no one else can even begin to compare."

"That's very true," Jesse agreed before he bent his head to capture her lips with his.

* * *

**Translations:**

_inspirado_  = inspired

_réveiller_  = wake up

**my tumblr:**  www .blk0912 .tumblr .com (no spaces)


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N:**  Kind of a little bit of everyone here, but I tried to prominently feature St. Berry. Hope you all enjoy and please review :) As always, translations will be at the bottom.

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee or any of the songs used in this chapter.

* * *

"Is that coffee working yet?" Rachel teased her cousin as she took a seat next to her in the auditorium.

"No," Holly replied. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Everything okay?"

Holly shrugged. "Do your feelings for Jesse ever freak you out?"

"I don't know if 'freak out' is the right phrase, but sometimes I wonder why I'm feeling the things I am at fifteen."

"What answer have you come up with?"

"Jesse is my soul mate. There's no doubt in my mind about that. He's made it his mission to understand every part of me. He's everything I could ever want and so much more. I figure it's only natural that I have strong feelings for him. Why do you ask?"

"The way I feel about Dominic…I've never felt that for any other boy. He seems to get a kick out of the fact that I'm dramatic and that I have a tendency to speak two languages at once without really thinking about it. I love him. So much. I just feel like…maybe he's not in this as deep as I am…and it scares me."

"Have you tried talking to him about it?"

"How would I even bring it up? I don't want to offend him."

"That's up to you to figure out."

"You're a lot of help."

Rachel giggled. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. He loves you. Jesse said Dominic's never said that to anyone but his family before."

"Speaking of family, what's the deal with your Mom and Jack? One minute they're acting all couple-like and the next they're arguing about something."

"I'm beginning to think that's just how they are. He's just as stubborn as my Mom is, and he's not afraid to push her buttons. She's not used to having someone like that in her life anymore."

"Well, I vote for them to get together. Or back together, rather."

"Me, too," Rachel agreed.

* * *

"Is this seriously everything you have?" Genevieve asked, surveying what she considered to be the small number of boxes scattered across Jack's new apartment.

Jack chuckled. "Yes. I sold a lot of my stuff before I moved. Kept the necessities."

"What about furniture?"

"Should be here shortly. Speaking of furniture, Joel told me what you did with your parents' stuff when you moved in."

Genevieve smiled. "They're the ones who didn't bother to remove it before selling me the house."

Jack laughed. "Did you seriously put it all in a storage unit, billed to your parents?"

"I did. My parents weren't thrilled, but whatever. Not my problem."

"So mature."

Genevieve laughed. "That's basically been their attitude about Jesse and me since shortly after we were born. About time they got a taste of their own medicine."

"I can't argue with that logic."

* * *

"You and Holly seemed deep in conversation this morning," Jesse observed as he and Rachel walked to his Range Rover.

Rachel nodded. "She's scared Dominic doesn't feel as deeply for her as she does for him. She asked me if my feelings for you ever freak me out."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that they don't necessarily freak me out, I just sometimes wonder why I'm feeling the way I do at fifteen."

"Because we're soul mates."

Rachel smiled and nodded. "That's what I said. I know that you're my soul mate. I wasn't sure you actually existed until I met you."

"You saw pictures, didn't you?"

"I don't mean you as a person necessarily. I mean my soul mate. Until we met, I always kind of figured I'd be alone throughout high school. I thought I'd meet my soul mate in New York, if he existed at all."

"Well, we're both headed there," Jesse pointed out.

Rachel giggled. "That's true."

"I think you were confused. It wasn't that you'd meet your soul mate in New York, but that your soul mate would belong there as much as you do."

"That makes a lot of sense."

"Of course it does. I'm always right."

Rachel laughed. "I think that theory needs to be tested again," she said once she and Jesse were both seated inside of his Rover.

"Why is that?" Jesse asked, leaning closer to her.

"Well, we haven't tested it in a while. What if it's no longer true?"

"It's still true."

Before Rachel could protest, Jesse closed the gap between them and captured her lips with his.

* * *

Alone in her room, Shelby took a box out of her closet and placed it on her bed. She hadn't opened it in years, but she still knew everything it contained.

"Are you trying to open the box with your mind?" asked a voice from the doorway.

"How did you get in?" Shelby questioned as she turned to face the owner of the voice.

"Rachel let me in. She and Jesse, along with Hiram and Leroy, are going to this place called  _Cravings_ , I think."

"Their favorite restaurant. It's vegan and non-vegan-friendly."

"What's in the box?"

"Stuff," Shelby replied, moving to take off of her bed and put it back in the closet. She was stopped by Jack putting his hands on top of hers.

"What kind of  _stuff_?"

"Private stuff. Let go, Jack."

"Why won't you share anything with me? You're so damn guarded all the time."

"It happens when your heart shatters," Shelby retorted.

"I'm the one who shattered it, doesn't make it sense that I'm the one who could heal it?" Jack countered.

Shelby closed her eyes. "I told you to stop saying things like that to me."

"I'm not just saying meaningless words. I mean what I'm telling you."

"Just go back to New York already, we both know that's where you'd rather be," Shelby snapped, wrenching the box from Jack's grip.

"It is  _not_  where I'd rather be. I couldn't care less where I live, so long as I have you."

Shelby set the box down on the seat of her vanity and held her hands up in the air. "Stop."

"You're the one who needs to stop. Stop pushing me away."

"I can't. If I let you in, I'm just setting myself up for heartbreak all over again."

Jack took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her. "I'm not going anywhere," he told her.

"You signed a lease, good for you," Shelby said, shoving the paper back towards him.

"Look at the address, Shelby."

"I did."

"What more can I do to prove to you that I'm not going to leave again? If taking a job at Carmel and getting an apartment here aren't enough, you need to tell me what is."

"I just don't understand why you would come all the way back to Akron for me."

"I told you-I still love you and I want a second chance with you."

"Why? You never told me why."

"Why…what?" Jack asked, exasperated.

"Why do you still love me and want a second chance with me? What's so great about me that you were never able to forget me? That you decided to give up your life in New York to come back to Ohio to get me back?"

"You're my soul mate. I know we were only together for a short time in high school, but that was the happiest I've ever been. I couldn't care less where I live, as long as I have you."

Shelby fought back tears at Jack's words. With a sigh, she walked over to the box and lifted the lid.

Peering into the box, Jack was surprised at how much stuff Shelby had kept. Taking out a familiar-looking picture frame, he was presented with a picture of the younger versions of himself and Shelby smiling for the camera. He had gone with Shelby to one of Sara's dance competitions, and Sara had insisted that they looked so cute together that she needed to take a picture. When she had gotten the picture developed, she had given them each framed copies.

"Why did you keep all of this stuff?" Jack wondered as he continued to look through the box.

"I couldn't bring myself to throw any of it out, so I put it in a box and put it in the back of my closet. I guess I had hoped I would forget about it, or be able to eventually get rid of it. That never happened," Shelby answered.

"Shouldn't that be a clue?"

Shelby shrugged. "Probably. I just didn't see the point in dwelling when nothing would ever come of it. You weren't going to come back."

"And now that I did?"

"I don't know quite what to do about it yet. I didn't expect you to just magically fit in with the life I made for myself. Now that you have, it's kind of unnerving."

"Why?"

"I told you-I didn't expect it. In hindsight, I probably should have, but I didn't. First you and Rachel hit it off immediately, then you and Hiram, and you and Leroy, act like old friends within just one night."

"I would think that's a good thing."

"What? That it unnerves me?"

Jack shook his head. "No. That I get along with your family."

"Sing with me."

"When? Now?" Jack asked, confused by the sudden subject change.

Shelby nodded. "I can't be with someone whose voice is incompatible with mine," she told him before walking out of the room.

* * *

As he suspected, Shelby had made her way into the music room and was currently sitting at the piano. Taking a seat next to her, he glanced at the music currently in front of him.

" _Moulin Rouge_?" he asked.

"Rachel and Jesse most likely," Shelby answered with a shrug.

"Is this their song?"

Shelby shook her head. "No. They have one, but it's not this one."

"Good to know," Jack said before placing his hands on the piano keys.

As Jack began to sing, Shelby listened with a small smile on her face.

**Never knew I could feel like this**  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
Everyday I love you more and more  
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings  
Telling me to give you everything  
Seasons may change winter to spring  
But I love you until the end of time  
Come what may, come what may  
I will love you until my dying day

Taking her cue, Shelby sang her solo part before joining her voice with Jack's.

_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste  
It all revolves around you_  
 __ **And there's no mountain too high no river too wide**  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side  
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide  
But I love you until the end of time…

When the song ended, Jack turned to Shelby and said, "I missed singing with you."

Shelby nodded in agreement. "Me, too," she whispered.

"Let me back in, Shelby."

When Shelby didn't respond, Jack shook his head and made a move to stand up, only stopping when he felt Shelby's hand grab his. Turning to look at her, he saw that she now had tears running down her face. Gripping Shelby's hand tighter, he motioned for her to follow him, and as he stepped away from the piano, he pulled her into his arms. She hugged him tentatively at first, only tightening her arms when he wrapped his own tightly around her. After a few moments of silence, he pulled back so he could look at her.

"Shelby, talk to me," he said.

Shelby wiped at her eyes. "You win," she said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"If you leave me again, I'll never forgive you. I won't let you shatter my heart a third time."

"You're giving me another chance?"

"Is that not why you came back? Or did you change your mind already?" Shelby retorted.

"Yes, that's why I came back, and no, I didn't change my mind," Jack answered. "I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."

"Haven't we always been? Even the first day we met, when we both vehemently protested Mr. Williams' song choice, we were on the same page. Then I heard you sing, and I knew I needed to get to know you better."

Jack chuckled as he remembered that day. Their music teacher, Mr. Williams, had been trying to give a difficult Broadway song to a couple of students with rather inept voices. They would have butchered the song. He and Shelby had immediately, and loudly, protested. Others eventually joined them, but they had been the first two, speaking simultaneously from opposite sides of the room. "I still remember the look on his face when we both shouted 'no' as loudly as we could," he said with a laugh.

Shelby smiled. "He didn't have a very good show face."

"Was he the one you replaced?" Jack wondered.

Shelby shook her head. "He retired a couple of years before they offered me the job. They had tried to find a replacement, but neither of the two before me were what they were looking for. Piper likes to say she hired me because she liked my grand ideas."

"You obviously whipped Vocal Adrenaline back into shape."

Shelby smiled. "I did. It took a couple of years to get everything back on track, but I like to think I've done a good job."

"I'd say you've done a great job. You don't need my help."

"Maybe not, but I'd like it. It's been nice to have that extra time to spend on the holiday concert."

"What about when it's over? Are you going to go back to teaching all of your classes?"

"I was actually thinking that it would be kind of nice to have that time to work with members of my team who want some individualized help. Sort of like private lessons, I guess."

"I could see Piper agreeing to that, I think. It would benefit the team as a whole-the stronger the individual members are, the stronger the team as a whole is."

Shelby smiled. "Yes. Exactly."

Jack leaned down to brush his lips with Shelby's. "Come on, I think Hiram said something about leftovers in the fridge. I'd love to continue talking with you, but I'm hungry."

Shelby laughed. "That hasn't changed either. I remember my mom wondering how you could eat so much and still manage to stay in shape."

Jack grinned at her as he took her hand, lacing their fingers together. "She liked me immediately, too."

"I remember that, too. She and your mom used to talk for  _hours_. I could never figure out why."

"I'm pretty sure they were conspiring," Jack answered as he and Shelby walked into the kitchen.

"Probably," Shelby agreed.

* * *

Walking into  _Cravings_  with Rachel and her dads, Jesse was surprised to see another group of people waiting for them.

"Surprise," Genevieve said with a smile as she hugged her brother.

"I kept hearing so many good things about this place, I decided I needed to try it for myself," Jacqueline said as Jesse moved to hug her.

"You'll love it," Rachel assured her as she too received a hug from Jacqueline.

"This is where I took Rachel on our first day," Jesse revealed as they group took their seats at a nearby table.

"Isn't this place kind of casual for a first date?" Genevieve wondered.

Rachel shook her head. "It was perfect. I had told Jesse that I was a vegan, and like everything else I tell him, he filed the information away and kept it in mind when he chose a restaurant."

"What do you mean 'filed the information away'?" Jacqueline wondered.

"He remembers everything about her," Leroy explained. "I haven't figured out how yet, but he does."

"I would guess it has something to do with the fact that they're so much alike," Genevieve decided.

"I think that has something to do with it, but that's not all of it," Hiram told her.

"Can we please not talk about Jesse and me as if we aren't here?" Rachel queried.

"Sorry, sweetie."

"So, how is Jack doing at Carmel?" Joel asked.

"Everyone seems to like him. Except Fiona, but she doesn't generally like many people," Rachel answered.

"Is that the same girl who was upset because you are Shelby's daughter?" Leroy wondered.

Rachel nodded. "Yes. I 'm surprised she and Sasha aren't related."

"Who's Sasha?" Jacqueline asked.

"The girl that got kicked out of Vocal Adrenaline," Jesse told her. "Rachel kicked her out of rehearsal, and then she transferred to McKinley. A few days later, she transferred back and begged to be let back onto the team. Rachel and I consented to a probationary period."

"Santana found out she only transferred back to be a spy for the show choir team from McKinley. My Mom went to the principal with the information Santana had given her. Mrs. Hawthorne contacted Sasha's parents. She was sent back to her grandparents, who live in McKinley's school district," Rachel finished.

"Is your entire team this dramatic?" Genevieve wanted to know.

"Generally not. Sasha was just angry because she assumed Shelby was going to make her female lead. Once Rachel joined and was the one given that position, she was furious. Having Santana and Holly join only fueled her rage. She saw it as Shelby playing favorites," Jesse revealed.

"Shelby doesn't strike me as the type to do something like that."

"She's not."

"It sounds like the team is better off without her anyway," Jacqueline surmised.

Rachel and Jesse both nodded in agreement.

"We have Melina now, plus Holly's friend Tasha and her younger brother, Dmitry, joined," Rachel added.

"How are you feeling about going up against the team from your old school?" Genevieve asked.

Rachel gave a small shrug. "I was never a part of that particular team, so it's not like it's going to be awkward. I don't think they'll be much of a competition. They argue more than they rehearse. At least that's the impression I got."

"They aren't very good performers either," Jesse added.

"Well, we'll all be in the audience rooting for you," Genevieve told him.

"You're all planning on being there?"

Jacqueline nodded. "Why wouldn't we be?" she asked her grandson.

Jesse shrugged. "The Invitational this year was the first time I had any family besides Aunt Janelle and Uncle Kevin in the audience. I'm still getting used to it."

Sensing that her brother didn't want to linger on the current subject anymore, Genevieve turned to Hiram. "I tried that vegan lasagna recipe the other night."

"How did it turn out?" Hiram wondered.

"It was delicious," Joel answered, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"I didn't have any leftovers. Between Jack, Joel, and Jason, I probably could have made another pan of it and they would have eaten it," Genevieve added.

"My mom hardly ever cooks and she asked Genevieve for the recipe," Joel revealed.

"I'm going to try your blueberry muffin recipe tonight."

As Hiram and Genevieve discussed recipes, Rachel leaned her head on Jesse's shoulder.

"Are you tired?" he asked softly.

"No, I'm just happy our families get along so well."

Jesse smiled as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Me, too."

* * *

"This isn't the way to the movie theater," Holly said as she watched Dominic steer the car in the opposite direction she thought they should be going.

"Something has been bothering you all day. I want to know what it is," he answered simply.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know you. You've hardly had any snarky comments all day, you're only speaking English, and your hands are cold."

"Where are we going?"

"Back to my house. My family is gone for the day; we have the place to ourselves. I want you to tell me what's going on."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me to tell you what's going on?"

"Because I love you and I care about you. Obviously something is bothering you. You've always told me what's been bothering you in the past. I don't see how this is any different."

Holly was silent as she looked out the window of Dominic's car. She was grateful when he didn't press her to say anything else.

* * *

"All right, drama queen, spill," Dominic said once he and Holly had settled on his bed.

"It's stupid."

"I don't care. It's bothering you; I want to know what it is. I can't make things better if I don't know what's wrong."

"Why do you want to make things better?"

"Like I told you in the car-I love you, and I care about you. Does this have something to do with the conversation you and Rachel had this morning?"

Holly nodded, but didn't say anything else.

"Talk to me, Holly. Don't push me away."

"What's going to happen when you go off to college next year? Are you just going to dump me for some girl in New York, or wherever you end up?"

"I'm not going to break up with you to date some college girl. As for what's going to happen next year, I don't know. We'll figure out a way to make the long-distance thing work, for however long we need to. I'll visit when I can, and hopefully you can find time to visit me as well. If Jesse and I both end up in New York, maybe you and Rachel could drive together or something."

"Maybe."

"Where's this insecurity coming from, Holl? This isn't like you."

Holly gripped Dominic's hand tightly. "Because…I love you so much…and I'm scared that you're going to wake up one day and decide that I'm too dramatic, too snarky, too…whatever…and break up with me."

"Never," Dominic promised. "Your dramatics and snarky comments are part of what makes me love you. I told you when we first got together that I liked the fact that you aren't afraid to make your opinion known. It's still one of the things I love most about you."

Holly relaxed a little at her boyfriend's words, but remained silent.

"Why are you afraid I'm going to break up with you?" Dominic queried.

Holly made an attempt at a shrug before she spoke. "I don't know how to explain it…I just have a feeling. Like I'm not good enough, I guess."

Dominic brushed his lips with Holly's. "You  _are_  good enough. You're the one I want, Holly. I want you exactly how you are."

"I could never get over you."

"Is someone telling you that you have to?"

Holly shook her head. "No. It's just…I got to thinking last night after we'd hung up…I couldn't sleep, so I got up and sat by my window for a while to think. I started thinking about the future, about where I wanted to be in a few years, what I wanted to accomplish. It's been years since I've done that. Since before I started high school."

"What's so scary about that? Thinking about the future is a good thing, isn't it?"

"I started thinking more about the comment I made to my Mom before we got together-about marrying you someday. I realized that I didn't know how you felt about that, and I started freaking out because I thought maybe you didn't love me like that. I knew if you didn't, I'd have to break up with you…because the longer I'm with you, the more attached I get."

"You're not the only one in this relationship who gets more attached every day. I've never met anyone like you, Holl. You're the only one for me. I'd heard Jesse talk about how he never believed in soul mates until he met Rachel, but I didn't think anything of it until I met you."

"Why?"

"You intrigued me from the start, and the more I got to know you, the harder I fell. You're my soul mate, Holly. I love you."

Holly blinked back tears. "I love you, too," she whispered before pressing her lips to Dominic's, smiling when he tightened his arms around her and pulled her closer before deepening the kiss.

After a few more kisses, Holly dropped her head onto Dominic's shoulder. "I knew I should have worn the waterproof mascara," she said, making her boyfriend chuckle.

" _Je pense que tu es superbe_ ," Dominic whispered close to her ear.

"I  _do not_  look beautiful right now. I don't need a mirror to know that," Holly retorted.

Dominic laughed, opting not to argue with her on the subject. "I guess I still owe you a movie, huh."

Holly nodded. "I suppose I could forgive you for making me miss it since you'll be taking me to a lot more in the future."

"How kind of you."

Holly giggled as she laid rested her head on Dominic's shoulder again. "I vote for a  _faire la sieste_."

"Since we're lying on top of the covers, I'm afraid we'd have to move if you want to lie under them," Dominic told her.

"You have to turn the light off anyway."

Dominic chuckled and shook his head as he stood to turn off the light. Holly had already settled beneath the covers and looked to be about half-asleep by the time he got back to the bed. Once he had rejoined her, she curled into his embrace once more.

* * *

"Things appear to be better between Holly and Dominic," Jesse observed as the couple in question walked into rehearsal the next day.

From her spot on his lap, Rachel nodded. "They look happier than ever. It's so cute."

"Cuter than us?"

Rachel giggled. "Never," she responded before leaning down to give him a quick kiss.

"I guess they'll have to settle for second place, then."

"I guess so. Can we go to the mall after rehearsal? I want to see if the music store got anything good in this week."

Jesse chuckled. "They didn't last week?"

"No. It was all horrible. They didn't get  _any_  Sondheim in…and the clerk didn't even know who he was!"

Jesse's lips twitched as he fought back his laughter. "How shameful," he said.

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest as she leveled her boyfriend with a look that told him she knew he was making fun of her.

"I'm sorry, Rach. I love you. You know I share your love of Sondheim."

"If you loved me, you wouldn't make fun of me."

"But you're just so adorable when you get all riled up about something."

"I was going to agree to one of your impromptu concerts, too. Now I'm not so sure I should."

Jesse adopted his best wounded expression. "That hurts, Rach."

Rachel laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I guess you need a kiss to feel better then, huh?"

"It would definitely help."

Rachel leaned down to brush her lips with Jesse's. "Better?" she asked.

"Mm. I think I need more. If I'm going to be in top form for our duet that your Mom wants to work on today, I need to be fully healed."

Rachel giggled as she slid one of her hands into Jesse's curls before pressing her lips to his again.

* * *

"Have you decided what we're singing today?" Jesse asked as he and Rachel walked into the music store.

Rachel nodded. "I need to find it first."

"You aren't going to tell me what we're singing?"

"I might be persuaded to."

"What kind of persuasion are we talking about?"

"You haven't kissed me since earlier this afternoon. I'm feeling neglected."

"We can't have that", Jesse responded with a laugh as he pulled Rachel into his arms and then bent his head to kiss her.

Rachel was about to reveal the song she'd chosen when she realized where she and Jesse had stopped.

"Sondheim. How fitting," Jesse said as he too noticed where they were standing.

Rachel nodded in agreement as she reached up to grab the book she wanted.

"Hey!" she exclaimed when Jesse grabbed the book from her, just like the first time they had sung a duet here.

Jesse laughed as he flipped through the book. Once he found the song he was looking for, he turned the book to face his now frowning girlfriend. Her frown turned to a smile when she realized what song he'd chosen.

"How did you know that was the song I was thinking of?" she wanted to know.

"Because I know you," Jesse answered, grabbing her hand and leading her over to the piano.

Following her boyfriend, Rachel couldn't help but continue to smile. Jesse had told her he wanted to know everything about her and he did little things every day to prove he meant what he said. He was, without a doubt, her perfect match in every way.

"Rach?" Jesse asked as he was about to begin the song.

Rachel shook her head and took a seat next to him on the piano bench. "Sorry, just thinking," she said.

"Good thoughts I hope."

Rachel smiled and nodded. "Always."

Jesse returned her smile and then pressed a kiss to her cheek before he began to play the song. He and Rachel sang their solo parts before singing the chorus together. ****  
There's a place for us  
Somewhere a place for us  
Peace and quiet and open air  
Wait for us  
Somewhere  
 _There's a time for us_  
Some day a time for us  
Time together  
With time to spare  
Time to learn  
Time to care  
Someday

**Somewhere  
We'll find a new way of living**  
 _We'll find a way of forgiving  
Somewhere_  
 __ **There's a place for us**  
A time and place for us  
Hold my hand  
And we're halfway there  
Hold my hand  
And I'll take you there  
Somehow  
Someday  
Somewhere…

* * *

A few days later, as she was getting ready to meet the woman Jack almost married, Shelby found she was unsure how she was feeling. On the one hand, she was interested to see what it was about this woman that had caused Jack to think he could fall in love with her, but on the other hand, she wasn't sure she even wanted to meet this woman anymore. The fact that she had said yes to Jack's proposal and they had begun planning their wedding, even though she was still in love with her then-ex, somewhat troubled her. She was grateful that the woman had been a good friend to Jack, but she was still wondering why she had blurted out that she wanted to meet her. Before she could think about it any longer, she heard the knock on the door that indicated the woman and her husband had arrived at Jack's apartment. As Jack went to answer the door, Shelby remained in her spot on the living room couch, only making a move to stand when she saw the other woman walk into the room.

"You must be Shelby," she said with a smile. "I'm Charlotte. It's nice to finally meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Shelby returned politely as she studied the woman in front of her.

"I'm glad you and Jack were able to work things out."

"Me, too. He didn't give me much of an option, though."

Charlotte laughed. "I assume he's always been that way. When he wants something, he'll stop at nothing to get it."

"I missed him…more than I realized," Shelby confessed.

Charlotte smiled at her. "I understand, trust me. I'm going to guess Jack told you everything already?"

Shelby nodded. "He said you were with each other to try and forget other people."

"That's the truth. I love Jack, but not the way you do. Not the way I love my husband. Jack and I were there for each other at a time when we both just needed someone to understand."

"Why did you say yes to his proposal?"

"I had given up hope on Robert coming back to me. I almost lost him for good when that engagement announcement showed up."

"Jack said neither of you had any idea it was going to be in the paper."

Charlotte nodded. "We didn't. Our parents were able to see right through our phony relationship, and the announcement was just an overly drastic way of saying that. Jack and I were both furious with all of them, but it did its job. It made us realize we were only kidding ourselves, and we had a long talk. We both confessed to not being in the relationship for the right reasons. I'm not sorry I met Jack, he's one of my best friends, but I  _am_  sorry the announcement led to you abandoning your plans to find him."

"Thank you for being honest with me."

"I have to admit I was surprised when Jack called and said you wanted to meet me."

Shelby smiled a little. "It was kind of an impulsive request. I didn't think he'd actually agree to it."

"If he thought agreeing to let you meet me would help him get you back, he wouldn't have thought twice about it. He always talked about you, you know."

Shelby failed to hide her surprise at Charlotte's statement. "He did?"

Charlotte nodded. "Constantly. Anything we did, there was always a story about you. I was the same way with stories about Robert, so it didn't really bother me like it probably should have."

Shelby glanced over to where the two men in question stood talking and laughing together before turning back to the chestnut-haired woman beside her. "They seem to be good friends."

"They are," Charlotte agreed. "Robert was just as interested in meeting Jack as you were in meeting me. They became fast friends and have remained so ever since."

* * *

"Piper wants to see you," Shelby said when she saw Jack walk into her office the next morning.

"About what?"

"Your position here."

"You're deliberately being vague, aren't you?"

"She wouldn't tell me what she wanted exactly, just that it was regarding your position here."

"Do you think it's good or bad?"

"Considering I talked to her about our idea for making more time for me to spend with individual members of the team, I'm hoping it's good."

Jack leaned down and brushed his lips with Shelby's before he spoke again. "Me, too. Even it's bad, I'm still not going anywhere."

Shelby smiled a little as she nodded. "I know."

* * *

"Shelby said you wanted to see me," Jack said as Piper led him into her office.

Piper nodded. "She told me about how she would like to be more available to members of her team who want her help, and you agreed to take over the advanced music class permanently, plus a couple of others if needed. She also said she wanted you to fill the vacant position of Vocal Adrenaline's assistant coach."

"I'm willing to help Shelby however I can."

Piper smiled. "I'm happy to hear that. I haven't told Shelby yet; I thought you might want to tell her the good news."

"The good news?" Jack asked, wanting to make sure he heard her correctly.

"You are Vocal Adrenaline's new assistant coach and will continue teaching the classes of Shelby's that you've taken over, effective immediately. I'll leave it up to you and Shelby to decide how you two want to split the classes next semester, but I'd like an answer sooner rather than later."

Jack nodded. "I'll talk to her about it. Thank you."

* * *

"Hi, Aunt Shelby," Liam greeted as he walked into his aunt's office.

"Hi, Liam," Shelby returned. "How can I help you?"

"I was hoping you could help me pick out a birthday present for my Mom. This is the only place where I know she won't be eavesdropping trying to find out what we got her."

"Don't you and Holly usually get her something together?"

Liam nodded. "We do, but I wanted to do something different this year. I wanted to get her something myself, but I don't know what."

"I can go with you after rehearsal today. Hiram and Leroy will be home today, so you could tell your Mom you're coming over for dinner, and then we can go shopping after dinner. I'll drop you off at home afterwards and keep her present at my house so she won't find it."

Liam grinned at his aunt. "You're the best, Aunt Shelby. If I call her now, I'll be late to class though."

"I'll call her. You go to class."

Liam nodded. "Thanks again," he said before quickly walking to his next class.

With a small laugh and a shake of her head, Shelby picked up her phone to call her sister.

* * *

Just as she was about to walk into the auditorium, Shelby heard her phone ring. Turning to Jack, she was about to ask him to get things started when she felt him press a kiss to her cheek.

"Take the call. I'll get things started," he told her.

With a nod, Shelby did as Jack suggested. She was pretty sure she'd get used to Jack still knowing her so well after so many years eventually.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Je pense que tu es superbe_ _= I think you look beautiful_

_faire la sieste_ _= nap/snooze_


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N:** I hope you all enjoy and translations will be at the bottom as always, and I have posted Rachel's outfit on my tumblr for those who want to see it :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee...but I wish I did, then I could put Jesse and Blaine in NY with Rachel and Kurt (where they belong)

* * *

"Mom? Is everything okay?" Shelby asked as she answered her phone.

"Of course, dear. Why wouldn't it be?" Tabitha returned-seemingly just as confused as her daughter.

"You never call me during the day. You know I always have rehearsal after I'm done teaching for the day."

"I know, but I'm trying to buy plane tickets and I need to know as soon as possible what your plans for Thanksgiving are."

Shelby was silent for a minute as she took in her mother's words.

"Plane tickets…for what?" she finally asked.

"To come see you and the grandchildren of course," Tabitha replied.

"Uh-huh. You're up to something. You've never needed to know my plans for the holidays before, so why now, Mom?"

"Well, I was talking to Sara and she was saying how Rachel, Hiram, and Leroy are living with you now. She also mentioned the reappearance of a certain person from your past."

Shelby sighed and made a mental note to ask her sister just what exactly she had said to their mother later.

"Yes, Jack and I are back together. Let me guess, you want me to invite Jack's parents to Thanksgiving dinner so you and Dad can get re-acquainted with his parents."

"While that would be nice, it's not necessary, dear."

"Whatever you say, Mom. I know Rachel would like to see you and to introduce you to Jesse. If Holly and Dominic come to dinner you can meet him as well. I'm sure there will be plenty of people to keep both you  _and_ Dad occupied the entire time you're here. If you want to surprise Rachel, Holly, and Liam, I promise not to say anything to them."

"I'll do that, then. Your Dad sends his love; he's downstairs  _creating_  right now…so he's a little busy."

Shelby laughed. While her mother enjoyed music, it was her father from whom she had inherited her love of it.

"I need to go, but give Dad my love and I'll see both of you in three weeks."

* * *

When she walked back into rehearsal, Shelby smiled as she saw that Jack was already going through the first number for Sectionals. Taking a seat next to him, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before she spoke.

"Everything is under control I see."

"Why wouldn't it be? They all know the drill by now."

"That's true. Do you think they're ready?"

"Yes," Jack said confidently. "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Except for maybe a confrontation or two between some of your team members and those of New Directions."

Shelby sighed as she watched the team move into their second song.

"It's not my kids I'm worried about…it's the ones from McKinley. Especially if Sasha has anything to do with it."

"I never met the girl, but it sounds like she was trouble and not very well-liked."

"In a nutshell, yes, she was trouble. The team is better off without her."

"They seem pretty solid to me."

Shelby nodded in agreement as she watched the team begin their third and final number.

* * *

"I'm stealing your girlfriend for the afternoon," Santana told Jesse after rehearsal the following Saturday.

"She already told me she's going shopping with you and some of the other girls, so technically you're not stealing her," Jesse responded with a laugh.

"I'll meet you by your car in a couple of minutes," Rachel said to her friend. "You can come and get me if I'm not there in five minutes."

"I'm holding you to that," Santana told her before walking out of the room.

Turning to her boyfriend, Rachel hugged him tightly and gave him a soft kiss before pulling back.

"Are you and your sister doing something today?" she asked as they walked out of the auditorium.

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, Gen said she has something planned," he said, deliberately keeping his answer vague since Rachel's birthday surprise would be ruined if he said much more.

"Don't have too much fun without me," Rachel teased.

"I'll try not to," Jesse retorted with a laugh before giving Rachel another kiss and then watching her meet up with the rest of the girls, and Kurt, who were going to the mall.

* * *

"When you said you'd recruit  _some_  people, I didn't think you meant half of your team," Hiram said with a laugh as he noticed all of the people currently occupying the space that would soon become his restaurant.

Jesse shrugged. "They've all had your food. I think they're as excited for this place to open as you are."

"Well, we might as well put them to work, then," Leroy put in from Hiram's side.

"Gen already has assignments for everyone."

Hiram and Leroy turned to see Jesse's sister splitting the large group into smaller ones and sending them off with the materials they'd need for the project she had assigned them.

"She appears to have things under control," Leroy observed.

"They think Shelby is bad in drill sergeant mode, Gen gives her a definite run for her money," Jesse told the older men at his side.

"I heard that, Jesse Jonathan," Genevieve said from nearby, earning chuckles of amusement from Hiram and Leroy.

Jesse laughed as he walked over to his sister, bending to press a kiss to her cheek.

"Where's Grandma?" he asked.

"Jack's. She's apparently quite fond of him and wanted to make sure he had everything he needed for his new place, since she found out he sold most of his belongings before moving here."

"Sounds like her. Did she say if she'd be by later?"

"She said she'd call me and let me know. She and Hiram were talking Thanksgiving dinner earlier too, so I'm sure she's busy roping Jack into attending that as well."

"Probably," Jesse agreed. "Where have you assigned me?"

"With Dominic, Puck, and Blaine," Genevieve answered, pointing to where the other two boys were currently painting near the front of the restaurant.

Jesse nodded before making his way over to his friends.

* * *

"What exactly are we shopping for again?" Rachel wondered as she and her friends debated which store to go to first.

"Nothing in particular that I'm aware of," Holly answered.

"Like you need an excuse to shop," Kurt put in.

"Most of my clothes are still at my dad's, so I'm looking forward to getting new ones," Melina added softly.

Rachel looped her arm through the older girl's as she spoke. "Well, let's get started, then. Kurt is our go-to fashion guru, so you're in good hands."

"I promise not to let him put you in anything ridiculous," Holly promised.

"As if I'd ever do such a thing," Kurt said in mock outrage, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"Come on,  _chicas_ , let's shop," Santana said, leading the group towards the nearest store.

* * *

"So things aren't any better with your Dad?" Holly asked as she, Melina, and Tasha looked through a rack of clothes.

Melina shrugged as she picked up a shirt to look at it closer.

"All I want is to go and get some of my things, and he won't even let me do that. He promised to send them, but he has yet to do so."

"Pardon me for butting in, but what happened with you two exactly?" Tasha asked.

Melina sighed as she put the shirt back.

"A lot of little things. My step-mother and I have never really gotten along, I feel like he loves my younger siblings more than me, neither of them liked my friends or the boy I was dating while I lived with them, you name it, we probably disagreed about it," Melina answered.

"Well your Mom sure seems happy to have you here, and I know Dominic is," Holly told her.

"I know, and it's not that I don't love my Mom, but it bothers me that my Dad and I can't get along."

"I'm sure you'll work it out eventually. On a happier note, Dominic mentioned something about a Thanksgiving brunch that I'm invited to."

Melina smiled and nodded.

"It's our Thanksgiving tradition. It's been a few years since I've been a part of it since I was usually with my dad for the holiday, but I remember it well. My Mom and Tony make brunch on Thanksgiving morning-waffles, pancakes, French toast, cinnamon rolls, plus lots more. You'll be full until dinner."

"You're making me hungry just thinking about it," Tasha said with a laugh.

"Me, too," Holly agreed.

"Is Dominic going to be with you for dinner, then?" Melina asked.

Holly shrugged as she continued looking through the rack.

"My Uncle Hiram was saying something about cooking dinner, and I know neither my Mom nor Aunt Shelby would object to that. I have a feeling there will be a large gathering at Aunt Shelby's, though," she answered before turning to her childhood friend. "Is Alec coming home?"

"Who's Alec?" Melina wondered.

"My older brother," Tasha responded. "He's a sophomore at Juilliard. Last I heard, he was planning on coming home for the weekend. You should stop by, I'm sure he'd like to meet Dominic."

Holly laughed.

"I'm sure he would."

* * *

"You're buying something different today," Santana said as she placed a blue skirt Rachel picked up back on the rack.

"Like what?" Rachel asked cautiously.

"Hold this and follow me," Santana responded, handing Rachel a pair of blue jeans.

"I promise not to let her go overboard," Kurt whispered as he walked alongside Rachel.

"Thank you," she responded.

"Those are cute," Holly said as she, Melina, and Tasha joined the group that had formed behind Santana, who was currently putting more items in Rachel's arms.

"This is more your style, not mine," Rachel told her, "but arguing with Santana will get you nowhere."

" _Vestidor_ ," Santana said a few minutes later, pointing towards the dressing room.

" _Sí, señora_ ," Rachel responded with a laugh as she walked in the direction Santana was pointing.

"This should be interesting," Holly whispered to Melina and Tasha. "I'll be surprised if she actually buys the outfit, even more so if she actually wears it."

* * *

Once she had put on the new outfit, Rachel turned as she studied herself in the mirror. Though she didn't have anything against jeans as she just preferred skirts, the pair Santana had picked out was quite comfortable. She also liked the teal green color of the top as well as the black jacket she could wear over it. She had a pair of flats at home that would go well with the outfit, though she wasn't totally against the heels, either.

"Well, what do you think?" Rachel asked as she stepped out of the room.

"I think you should buy it," Holly said-the first to respond.

"I second that," Kurt added as the rest of the members of the group nodded.

"I'll buy it on one condition," Rachel said with a smile.

"What's that?" Melina wondered.

" _I_  get to pick out an outfit for Santana. It's only fair."

"Fine," Santana agreed, "but it has to be approved by Kurt first."

Rachel laughed as she nodded and then turned to walk back into the dressing room so she could change back into her normal clothes.

* * *

"What time is your parents' plane supposed to land?" Jack asked Shelby a few weeks later as they helped Hiram prepare for the large number of guests that were expected for Thanksgiving dinner.

"In about an hour, so we should leave for the airport soon," Shelby answered.

"Did you tell Rachel yet?"

"Not yet. Holly and Liam don't know, either. Sara and I decided to surprise the kids. Jesse and Dominic said they'd take care of the distractions. Noah and Liam are outside playing football with Blaine as referee, and Santana and Kurt supervising, and Holly, Rachel, Dominic, and Jesse are downstairs singing and dancing their hearts out last I saw."

"Are Sara and Nick going to be here?"

"Yes-they're on their way. Hiram asked Sara to pick up some ingredients so she and Nick spent the morning doing that. Holly and Dominic gave Liam a ride here."

"I'm sure that was an interesting car ride."

Shelby laughed as she nodded.

"Probably," she agreed.

"Mom?" Rachel asked as she poked her head into the dining room.

"Did you need something, baby?" Shelby asked in response as she walked over to her daughter.

"Aunt Sara wants to know where you want the extra drinks she bought. Daddy put you in charge of them so he said to ask you."

"I'll show her," Shelby replied, following Rachel towards the entryway.

* * *

As the final notes of Holly and Rachel's duet died away, they were both startled by the sound of applause from near the back of the room.

"Surprise, darlings," Tabitha said with a smile for her granddaughters.

"Grandma!" Rachel said excitedly, rushing over to the older woman with Holly not far behind.

"Are you going to introduce us to your handsome young men?"

Holly smiled and nodded as she hugged first her grandfather, then switching places with Rachel to hug her grandmother.

"Grandma, Grandpa, this is my boyfriend, Jesse St. James," Rachel said as she began the introductions, "and Holly's boyfriend, Dominic Edwards."

"Do you two enjoy singing and dancing as much as these two do?" Charles asked them.

"Don't interrogate them, please," Holly pleaded. "My Mom and Dad did enough of that."

Charles chuckled as he hugged his granddaughter again.

"I suppose I could hold off on it for now," he agreed.

Rachel slipped under his other arm as she and Holly led him upstairs, followed by Tabitha, Jesse, and Dominic.

"I just have one question for the two of you," Tabitha said softly, trying to make sure her granddaughters didn't hear her.

"What's that?" Jesse asked.

"Do you love them?"

"Yes," Dominic and Jesse immediately answered simultaneously.

"Then I'm sure we'll all get along fabulously."

* * *

"Your grandparents are amusing," Jesse whispered to his girlfriend as the large group gathered in the living room after dinner.

"I'm stuffed. Again," Holly muttered as she and Dominic took their seats next to Jesse and Rachel.

"You're the one who ate all of that food," Dominic pointed out.

" _Personne ne vous a demandé_."

"Shelby said the four of you are in Vocal Adrenaline," Charles said as he joined the four teens.

"Rachel and Jesse are co-leads and co-captains. Dominic and I mostly just dance," Holly answered.

"Have you had your first competition yet?"

"Next weekend," Rachel answered, "and then we have the Holiday concert two weeks after that."

"I heard Sara and Shelby talking about that, it sounds like it's something new."

"It is," Jesse responded. "The principal asked Shelby to put it together since the group they usually pay backed out at the last minute. All of the money from the sale of the tickets, plus what Carmel usually pays the group, is going towards Vocal Adrenaline and the arts programs."

"I was expecting her to be a little more stressed out about it."

"Thank Jack," Holly put in. "He took over a couple of her classes, plus he's Vocal Adrenaline's new assistant coach, so he's been a big help."

"I'll have to do that," Charles decided.

"Have you seen the music room yet?" Rachel asked, changing the subject.

"Heard about it, haven't seen it."

"Come on, Jesse and I will show you."

"I think I'm ready for bed now," Holly said as she moved Dominic's arm so she could lean against him.

"It's only six o'clock," Dominic responded with a laugh.

"I don't care."

* * *

"Jack, could you help me with something?" Tabitha asked her daughter's significant other.

"Sure," Jack agreed as he followed the older woman.

"I have something for you, but you can't tell Shelby about it."

"Is there a reason why?"

"You'll understand when you see it."

Before Jack had the chance to formulate a response, he saw Tabitha walk into the room she and Charles were going to be occupying for the weekend. Following her into the room, he noticed she was now digging in the pocket of her suitcase.

"I know you and my daughter just got back together, but I'm going to guess at some point, either when you were together in high school or recently, that she always admired her grandmother's engagement ring."

Jack nodded. "She told me back in high school. She hasn't mentioned it recently, but I doubt her opinion of it has changed."

Tabitha turned and after taking Jack's hand, placed a small ring box in it.

"I don't know how serious things are between the two of you are at this point, but I imagine you still intend on proposing to Shelby someday."

"Yes," Jack answered, unsure what else to say.

"My mother wanted Shelby to have it. She'd be happy you two found each other again."

"Now that I found her, I'm never letting her go again."

Tabitha smiled at the man she hoped would be her son-in-law someday soon.

"I'm happy to hear that. We should get back downstairs before Shelby sends out a search party, though."

Jack nodded in agreement as he followed Tabitha out of the room.

"I'm going to put this away while Shelby is distracted," he told her.

"How do you know she's distracted?" Tabitha wondered.

"Listen carefully," Jack said simply.

"She's with Rachel, Jesse, and Charles."

"Rachel and Shelby enjoy singing together. She enjoys having Rachel here in general."

"She's a wonderful mother. Both of my girls are. They've given me three beautiful grandchildren, two of whom seem to have found their matches."

"They most definitely have," Jack agreed. "What do you think of Jesse and Dominic, by the way?"

"I like them and I look forward to getting to know them some more. It's clear they both love my granddaughters very much, so I'm sure they'll be around for years to come."

* * *

"Is that Alec?" Melina asked Holly as she saw Tasha talking to a boy who looked like he could be her brother after rehearsal a couple of days later.

"Yeah. Come on, I'll introduce you," Holly responded.

"Maybe another time. I'm going to go find my own brother, I'll see you tomorrow."

Holly frowned as she watched Melina walk away.

"What was that about?" Rachel asked as she walked up to her cousin.

"Beats me. I was just going to introduce her to Alec and she started acting all weird."

"Maybe she thinks he's cute."

"Well at least she doesn't try to get him trouble."

Rachel laughed as she began walking alongside Holly.

"You're never going to let Dominic live that down, are you?"

"Nope," Holly responded with a laugh of her own.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Chicas = girls_

_Vestidor = dressing room_

_Sí, señora = yes, ma'am_

_Personne ne vous a demandé = nobody asked you_

**my tumblr:** www. blk0912. tumblr. com (no spaces)


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, let's just say things would be A LOT different...

* * *

Having witnessed the exchange between his sister and his girlfriend, Dominic was still trying to figure things out when Melina rushed past him.

"Lina, wait," Dominic said, grabbing her hand.

"I need to get home," Melina replied as she attempted to make him let go.

"What was that little display all about? He's a friend of Holly's…"

Knowing resistance was futile, Melina sighed as she turned to face her brother.

"You don't recognize him?"

"No…should I?"

"He was our tour guide when we went to visit Juilliard over the summer. The one I couldn't even form a complete sentence around."

"How do you know it was him?"

"I just do!"

"Okay, okay. No need to be so dramatic about it. You were nervous, Lina, I'm sure he's toured lots of people who were nervous. It's not just any college, it's  _Juilliard_."

"What if he  _does_  remember me, though? What am I supposed to say?"

"That you were nervous?"

"Right. Then I'd forever be the nervous girl whose nerves weren't helped by the fact that her tour guide was cute."

Dominic laughed, earning a playful slap on the arm from his sister.

"I'm sorry, Lina. When we went to Juilliard, you were so obsessed with that boy you were dating back when you lived with your dad that I didn't think he was even on your radar."

"He  _wasn't_ , that's the thing. I was  _supposed_ to be thinking about Kyle, but I couldn't think about any boy but  _him_  the entire time. I've never quite been able to get him out of my head, and I don't even really know him! It's creepy!"

"Rachel would probably say it's a sign. Besides, you're single now. You have been since you moved here and that idiot boyfriend of yours decided you weren't worth enough to even try a long distance relationship with. Just try talking to him. You'll be at school with him next year, you might as well get used to seeing him around."

"I haven't been accepted yet, smart guy."

"Just a formality, especially if Shelby has anything to do with it. Jesse will be going to Tisch, and you and I will be going to Juilliard. It's pretty much a done deal, even more so if we win Nationals again this year."

"I'd like to see anyone try and touch the chemistry Rachel and Jesse have. They're both incredible separately, but put them together and it's…magic."

"Exactly. So stop worrying and just be yourself the next time Holly offers to introduce you two. Okay?"

Melina sighed, but nodded in agreement.

"Fine, but only because you're my brother and for some reason I'm still trying to figure out, I love you."

Dominic chuckled as he hugged her.

"I love you, too, little sister."

"I'm like a month younger than you!" Melina retorted as she stepped out of Dominic's embrace.

"You're still younger," Dominic told her before walking over to where Holly, Tasha, and Alec were talking.

"I wish I made friends as easily as you do, big brother," Melina whispered to herself before turning to finish the walk to her car.

* * *

"Here's the troublemaker himself," Holly said with a smile as Dominic slid his arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek in greeting.

"You must be Dominic," Alec said with a laugh.

Dominic nodded as he held out his hand to the older boy.

"Yes, and you must be Alec. Don't believe Holly when she tells you I got her in trouble her first day at Carmel. She got herself in trouble."

Alec raised an eyebrow at his friend. "You? Get in trouble? I don't believe it."

"I was doing just fine until  _he_  distracted me," Holly grumbled in response.

"It's an argument they'll never agree on a conclusion to, and since they were the only ones there when it happened, we'll never know the answer," Tasha put in.

"Tasha says you're a dancer, too," Alec said to Dominic, changing the subject slightly.

"Yes. Holly and I met in dance class, where she still claims I got her into trouble. Shelby put her in the class and it was Holly's first day at Carmel. Madame Nicole scolded her because she didn't put her shoes on before taking her place at the bar," Dominic explained. "Then later that day, we almost ran right into each other outside of Shelby's office and she accused me of stalking her before storming off."

"Sounds like a typical Holly move. I hate to cut this short, but Tasha and I have to get going. I promised our mother I would bring her right home from rehearsal, but hopefully we can all get together the next time I'm in town.

"Mama worries too much," Tasha muttered in response.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tasha. Bye, Alec," Holly said before taking Dominic's hand and leading him towards his car.

"They make quite the pair," Alec commented as he and Tasha got into his car.

"I think they're cute together. He really loves her, Alec. She loves him…she's never felt that way about a boy before. Plus, he's very laid back, which is an interesting contrast to her dramatic tendencies," Tasha replied.

"I'm happy for her. I just feel like I know him from somewhere, but I can't place it. The blonde he was talking to looks familiar too."

"That's his sister, her name is Melina. She's a senior like Dominic."

"Are they twins?"

"Step-siblings technically, I think, but they grew up together."

Alec nodded, starting the car as he wracked his brain for where he had seen those two before.

* * *

"Hi, sweetie," Hiram greeted when he saw his daughter walk into the kitchen.

"Hi, Daddy," Rachel replied as she hopped up on a stool.

"Where's Jesse?"

"Upstairs. He's looking over his notes for his test tomorrow. I told him I would come get him when dinner was ready."

"Your Dad is studying too, and Jack took your Mom out to dinner, so it's just the four of us tonight. Would you like to help me make dinner?"

"I'd love to," Rachel said with a bright smile as she made her way over to her father's side.

Hiram hugged his daughter before striking up conversation with her as they prepared their meal.

* * *

Walking into the kitchen about an hour later, Leroy smiled when he saw Hiram and Rachel standing at the stove, talking and laughing as they took turns tasting what appeared to be Hiram's vegan chili.

"Are you two going to share or keep it all for yourself?" he asked with a laugh.

"I was just about to go get you and Jesse," Rachel replied as she moved to hug her other father.

"Go ahead, honey, your Daddy and I can take care of setting the table."

"Thanks, Dad," Rachel said with a smile before leaving the room to go get her boyfriend.

"Is it just the four of us?" Leroy queried as he began to set the table.

"Yes. Jack and Shelby went out for dinner tonight. Did you get some studying done?"

"As much as I can for now. I'll go back to it in a little bit. Do you know if Shelby heard from Tabitha and Charles?"

Hiram nodded as he brought the silverware and chili over to the table.

"Shelby said they had a smooth flight and they're back in Florida now. Safe and sound. I guess Tabitha was talking about making another trip for Hanukkah and Christmas, which would also include Sectionals and Rachel's birthday, but she wasn't sure yet."

"It was nice for Rachel to be able to see them again. Even though I miss the quiet of Lima sometimes, I'm positive that all of us moving here was the right thing for everyone."

"I agree. I know Shelby has said on several occasions that she loves having Rachel here and she's enjoying having a full house, so she obviously agrees too."

"So, how long do you think it will be until Jack moves in?"

* * *

"Jess," Rachel said as she walked into her boyfriend's room.

"Is dinner ready? Please say yes," Jesse asked.

Rachel giggled as she nodded.

"Yes. Daddy and I made his vegan chili. I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time with either of my dads lately, so it was nice."

Jesse smiled as he stood and walked over to pull Rachel into his arms.

"I'm glad you two got to spend some time together. I think I may take you up on that offer to quiz me on this material. After dinner, though. I'm starving."

"I know," Rachel told him with a grin. "I can hear your stomach grumbling from all the way over here."

Jesse chuckled as he bent his head to brush his lips with Rachel's.

"I told you I was starving," he retorted with a grin of his own before taking Rachel's hand and walking downstairs with her.

* * *

"Do you know where Sectionals are being held this year?" Hiram asked once everyone was settled at the dinner table.

"Shelby hasn't said for sure," Jesse answered, "They were still trying to figure it out last I heard. Carmel usually hosts it, but I guess McKinley wants to host it so they can save money on transportation or something like that."

Rachel rolled her eyes, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by the three other people at the dinner table.

"Is something wrong, sweetie?" Hiram asked.

"I don't know if 'wrong' is the right word, Daddy. It's just…being at Carmel for a few months now, it's really opened my eyes to what a school that's run well looks like. I know Vocal Adrenaline has a booster club and all, but I think Principal Hawthorne would find a way to get us to our competitions if the funds from that didn't cover the transportation costs. The principal at McKinley is so concerned with what the stupid cheerleading coach is going to demand next that he just sets aside the entire sports and arts budget for her to do whatever she pleases with. I feel bad for the kids that are still at McKinley, but I'm grateful I was given the chance to escape that place."

Jesse raised his eyebrow at his girlfriend, earning a questioning look in return, before he spoke.

"It sounds like you've kept that bottled up for a while."

"Is that true, honey?" Leroy wondered.

Rachel shrugged as she let out a resigned sigh.

"I guess. It's just been bothering me lately. I don't really know why. Maybe it's just nerves and this is how I'm handling going up against the team I might be on if I had stayed at McKinley. It's just kind of strange to think about."

"Why didn't you say something?" Jesse asked.

"I didn't know what exactly about the whole thing was bothering me until McKinley was brought up. I think part of it is I'm not looking forward to dealing with Mercedes  _and_  Sasha."

"The rest of the team will be there this time, Rach. They all like you, they won't let either one get to you…and I'll be by your side the whole time, as will your Mom and Jack."

"That didn't stop them from verbally attacking me the last time."

Jesse shrugged before he grinned at her.

"We could always sic Holly and Santana on them. I'm sure Giselle and Andrea would love to join in too."

Rachel laughed-a sound that made the three males at the table smile.

"That's true. I think Holly might sneak off and do that anyway. I wouldn't put it past her  _or_  Santana."

"I wouldn't worry about it, sweetie," Hiram told her. "It sounds like your numbers are all solid and I know you've been looking forward to performing your duet with Jesse."

"I  _am_  looking forward to that," Rachel agreed with a smile.

"I think you should talk to your Mom when she gets home," Leroy added. "Maybe she can work something out to where you don't have to interact with these people except on stage, where I would hope they would behave themselves."

"I will, Dad. I already told her I wanted to talk to her when she got home, but it was nothing to worry about so she should have a good time with Jack."

"Is Kurt's dad going to be at Sectionals?" Hiram asked, wanting to move onto happier topics.

"As far as I know. He lives here now, so unless something comes up where he needs to be at the garage in Lima, he plans on being there. He might not be a fan of all of the music, or even know all of the songs, but he's always been there for all of Kurt's performances."

"What about your family, Jesse?" Leroy wondered.

"Um, I think my grandma and my sister will be there at least, possibly Joel as well if he's in town. Obviously my aunt and uncle will too since Blaine is part of our group," Jesse answered.

"I think they'd go even if he wasn't," Rachel added.

Jesse smiled a little as he thought of his aunt and uncle, two of his biggest supporters. "Probably. At least my Aunt Janelle would be."

"Have you heard back from any colleges yet, Jesse?" Hiram asked, changing the subject again as the foursome continued to enjoy their dinner and each other's company.

* * *

Before rehearsal a couple of days later, Shelby asked her team to take seats in the auditorium so she could make an announcement.

"Do you know what this is all about?" Jesse asked his girlfriend.

"I don't know for sure, but I would guess we will finally find out where Sectionals are being held," Rachel responded with a shrug.

Jesse reached over and took Rachel's hand, lacing his fingers with hers before he spoke again.

"Regardless of whether it's here or at McKinley, I'll be by your side. We'll win, no matter where the competition is held."

Rachel smiled and nodded before she leaned her head on Jesse's shoulder as she awaited her mother's announcement, smiling to herself when she felt Jesse press a kiss to the top of her head.

"What's the big announcement?" Chris asked when he saw Shelby and Jack turn their attention towards the team.

"Sectionals will be taking place here at Carmel. The Jane Addams girls will be going first, followed by New Directions, and then us. I expect all of you to be respectful of the other teams, regardless of how much of a competition you may think they are or how much they may try to push your buttons. That being said, I also now have costumes for all of you. You are all to try them on and make sure you can move properly in them. I want you all to go to your respective locker rooms to change and then meet back here in no more than a half an hour."

With nods of agreement, the team did as their coach had requested.

* * *

The morning of Sectionals, Rachel woke up to Jesse kissing her.

"Good morning," he told her when he pulled back.

Rachel smiled at him.

"Good morning," she replied.

"I know you need to get started on your pre-show routine, but I wanted to tell you that I love you and I'm looking forward to our duet later today."

"I love you and I'm looking forward to our duet, too. I'm kind of interested to see what the other teams picked as well. They won't win, but maybe we can pick up something we can use in the future."

"Maybe," Jesse agreed as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Rachel leaned over to brush her lips with Jesse's before she spoke again.

"Thank you for being so understanding about my routines," she said softly.

"It would be rather hypocritical of me to not be, considering I have some of my own. I would never ask you to change who you are, you know that, right?"

"I know, and it makes me even more grateful that we found each other."

"I'm grateful, too."

After brushing her lips with Jesse's one more time, Rachel spoke again.

"I'd never ask you to change either. I really should start getting ready, though. I think I heard my Mom mention something about wanting to get there early and as the leads, we should be the first ones there."

"I agree, so you get started and I'll head downstairs to double check and make sure everything is ready for you."

"Are you skipping your morning routine?" Rachel wondered as she and Jesse got out of bed.

"No, I'm just postponing it a few minutes. I set everything I need out last night, so I have a few minutes to spare. I'll meet you downstairs in a little while," Jesse assured her before giving her a quick kiss and then making his way downstairs.

With a smile on her face, Rachel walked into her bathroom to begin her pre-show routine.

* * *

"Good morning, Jack," Rachel greeted as she walked into the kitchen later that morning, surprised to find it empty except for her future step-father.

"Good morning," Jack returned with a smile. "I was hoping you and I could talk while you eat. Your dads have your Mom distracted for a little while."

"Is it good or bad?"

"Good, I hope."

"You seem nervous," Rachel observed as she began to eat.

Jack smiled a little as he took a seat next to her.

"A little," Jack admitted. "I know you and your Mom are close, and I don't want you to think I'm trying to come between the two of you."

"You love my Mom, and you wouldn't do anything to hurt her. That includes trying to come between her and me."

"That's true. I was wondering how you would feel about us really becoming family."

Rachel studied the older man beside her for a few moments before she spoke again.

"You want to propose to my Mom, don't you?" she deduced.

"Yes," Jack responded. "Your grandma gave me a ring that your Mom has admired since she was your age to give to her. I was thinking of a Christmas proposal, but then I started thinking that might be too cheesy or too soon, or both."

"If you're original about it, I don't think it would be cheesy. As for it being too soon…I don't think so. I know if Jesse and I had been separated for as long as you and my Mom have that I wouldn't want to waste another minute. You've also taken the time to get to know me and let me pretty much interrogate you, so there's that too. If you want to propose to my Mom, I'm all for it."

"That was easier than I thought it would be," Jack admitted, earning a laugh from Rachel.

"I like you…and I hope she says yes."

"You're not the only one."

* * *

"Ready for your big debut?" Puck teased his childhood friend as they waited for the rest of the team to finish arriving.

"Yes, but it's not just my big debut," Rachel responded.

"The rest of us aren't singing lead."

"You and Santana both have parts in both our first and last song."

"That's true, but we're still not the leads. You and your boyfriend are."

"Speaking of Jesse, have you seen him lately?"

"I think he was talking with his sister."

"That makes sense. Did you listen to those songs on the CD I have you?"

"The one that had a bunch of Hanukkah duets on it?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, I listened to it. I think we'd kick ass on any of them. Which one is your favorite?"

"I couldn't pick just one," Rachel admitted, earning a laugh from her friend.

"That sounds like you, Berry. My Mom wants you and your family to come over for dinner sometime during Hanukkah, so maybe we could save one for that night."

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"I'll talk to my dads about what night would work best and then have them call your Mom."

* * *

_Chatonja, Can you handle this?_  
Aphasia, Can you handle this?  
Jayelle, Can you handle this?  
I don't think they can handle this!

"They're seriously doing this song?" Holly whispered to her cousin as she heard the opening notes of the Jane Addams Girls Choir's first song.

Rachel bit her lip to keep from laughing as she nodded.

"I guess it kind of fits for them, though. You have to give them credit for trying."

"Yeah, I don't think so. Unless Beyoncé herself was a judge, I doubt they'll win any points with this number, especially with those horrendous dance moves."

"I guess this would be an opportunity to learn what  _not_  to do at a show choir competition, then," Rachel responded before turning her attention back to the team on the stage.

* * *

_And I am telling you, I'm not going_  
You're the best man I'll ever know  
There's no way I can ever go  
No, no, there's no way

"No competition," Jesse whispered to Rachel as the Jane Addams Girls Choir began their second song.

Rachel smiled a little.

"We haven't heard their last song yet…but I'm inclined to agree with you."

"Of course you are. I'm always right."

Rachel's smile grew as she shook her head and tried not to laugh. Instead, she settled for resting her head on Jesse's shoulder and lacing their fingers together while she watched the rest of the performance.

* * *

_Got me looking so crazy right now, your love's_  
Got me looking so crazy right now (in love)  
Got me looking so crazy right now, your touch  
Got me looking so crazy right now (your touch)  
Give me a head with hair  
Long beautiful hair  
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen

" _Por el amor de Dios, hacer que se detengan_ ," Santana whispered to no one in particular as she watched the performance occurring on stage.

"Be nice, Satan," Puck responded, doing his best not to laugh as he silently agreed with his girlfriend.

"It just gets worse, though."

"This is their last song. If you behave yourself, I'll take you to get those  _sopapillas_  that you love so much."

"Fine…but only because those sound really good right now."

In response, Puck simply smiled and nodded.

* * *

_I get up, and nothing gets me down_  
You got it tough, I've seen the toughest around  
And I know, baby just how you feel  
You've got to roll with the punches to get to what's real

"They need some serious help in the appropriate fashion for competitions department," Kurt whispered to his boyfriend as New Directions began their first song.

"Not a fan of the blue jeans and different red shirts?" Blaine teased in return.

"No. Not at all. It's overdone and so first-grade."

"What if this is all they could afford since they had to provide for transportation here?"

"Well, they could have come up with something better than jeans and t-shirts. They could have at least dressed it up a little with button-downs and nice black pants or something. I'm pretty sure they sell those at discount stores too."

* * *

_Oh, that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh,_  
I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh.  
That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh,  
I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh.  
That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh,  
I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh.  
That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh,  
I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh.  
When you take me by the hand,  
Tell me I'm your loving man,  
When you give me all your love,  
And do it the very best you can

"Do they not know how to do anything from the last decade?" Holly questioned while she watched New Directions' performance of their second song.

"It doesn't seem like it," Melina answered.

"I think it's more like their choir director is stuck in the years of his youth," Dominic put in from the other side of Holly.

"Either way,  _ce fait j'ai mal aux oreilles_ ," Holly grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

* * *

_Aaahh Freak out!_  
Le Freak, C'est Chic  
Freak out!  
Aaahh Freak out!  
Le Freak, C'est Chic  
Freak out!  
Aaahh Freak out!  
Le Freak, C'est Chic  
Freak out!  
Aaahh Freak out!  
Le Freak, C'est Chic  
Freak out!

"Thoughts on the competition?" Jack asked Shelby as New Directions began their third song.

"Not worthy," she responded. "I was expecting at least  _something_  competition-worthy from McKinley at least. They're a new choir, you'd think they'd want to make a good impression at their first competition," Shelby responded.

"Well, at least Regionals should be better."

"We can only hope."

* * *

_Can anybody find me somebody to love?_  
Each morning I get up I die a little  
Can barely stand on my feet  
Take a look in the mirror and cry  
Lord what you're doing to me  
I have spent all my years in believing you  
But I just can't get no relief,  
Lord!  
Somebody, somebody  
Can anybody find me somebody to love?

As Vocal Adrenaline began their first number, this one started off by Puck and Santana, the members of New Directions sat in the audience with frowns marring their faces.

"We're d-d-d-doomed," one of their members said, repeating her earlier statement when she had watched them perform at their Invitational.

"We were better. I blew everyone away with my singing," Mercedes said confidently.

At the end of the row, New Directions' director wished he felt as confident as Mercedes clearly did. He was more inclined to agree with Tina and her prediction that they were doomed.

* * *

Grabbing Rachel's hand, Jesse twirled her towards him as he sang the opening lyrics to Vocal Adrenaline's second song.

 **Well you can dance**  
Every dance with the guy  
Who gives you the eye  
Let him hold you tight  
And you can smile  
Every smile for the man  
Who held your hand  
'Neath the pale moonlight  
But don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darling, save the last dance for me

Sharing a smile with her boyfriend, Rachel sang the next verse herself before joining her voice with Jesse's for the chorus.

 _Oh I know_  
That the music's fine  
Like sparkling wine  
Go and have your fun  
Laugh and sing  
But while we're apart  
Don't give your heart  
To anyone  
And don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darling, save the last dance for me

* * *

As Vocal Adrenaline transitioned into their third song, Blaine moved to the front of the stage to sing first.

 _My life will never be the same_  
'Cause girl, you came and changed  
The way I walk  
The way I talk  
I cannot explain the things I feel for you  
But girl, you know it's true  
Stay with me, fulfill my dreams  
And I'll be all you'll need

* * *

As the final notes of the last song died away, Rachel was surprised to see that they were receiving a standing ovation. Turning her head, she shared a grin with Jesse before taking his hand and letting him lead her off of the stage with the rest of their team.

"We kicked ass!" Puck exclaimed once the team was back in their green room.

"What did you think, Shelby?" Dominic asked.

"I think Noah summed it up perfectly," she answered with a smile. "You were all wonderful."

"Also the only ones to receive a standing ovation," Jack put in from her side.

"Well, what did you think of your first show choir competition?" Dominic asked Melina as they stood with the rest of their team, waiting to be called back to the stage for the results.

"It was fun," she admitted with a smile. "A lot of hard work, but totally worth it."

"I think I liked Rachel and Jesse's duet the best," Tasha added.

"It was definitely very cute," Nina agreed.

* * *

About a half an hour later, the three teams gathered on the stage together. Rachel was standing in front, tightly gripping the hands of Jesse and Holly.

"The results of the National Show Choir Sectionals 2009 are….in third place, New Directions," the announcer said, handing a ribbon to their director.

"Please let us win," Rachel whispered to herself as the announcer walked up the microphone once again.

"The winners, and the choir going on to compete at Regionals, are….Vocal Adrenaline!"

As the announcer finished speaking, the audience, along with all of the members of Vocal Adrenaline, cheered. Once Jane Addams had received their second-place trophy, Shelby was handed the first-place one. With a bright smile, she brought it back to her team, who were already beginning to celebrate. She saw Jesse hug Rachel tightly as he lifted her up and spun her around, and Holly was hugging Dominic tightly as well.

* * *

Just when she thought she would get through the day without a confrontation with Mercedes, Rachel heard her voice from behind her as she and Jesse began to walk to his car.

"You cheated," Mercedes said accusingly.

"We did no such thing," Jesse retorted.

"We deserved to win! We were better than you!"

"Obviously the judges disagreed."

"You weren't very prepared and it showed in your lack of polish," Rachel said as she inserted herself into the conversation. "We rehearse our numbers until we could do them in our sleep. We rehearse starting months ahead of time. I doubt you can say the same."

"We don't need to rehearse that much, we're naturally talented," Mercedes responded.

"Oh, please. You wouldn't know talent if it hit you over the head," Holly retorted, coming up to stand by her cousin.

"I  _am_  talented. More talented than her! She ran away, I stayed and persevered!"

"I didn't  _run away_ , Mercedes," Rachel told her. "I was offered the position of female lead of Vocal Adrenaline. The current  _National_  champions. They actually  _want_  me on their team; they don't just  _tolerate_  me because I can sing. I earned my spot as lead and I will help lead them to another National title. Face it, you lost and you just can't accept that fact."

"I don't need to  _accept_ anything! You cheated. First your coach makes it so that we have to use our own money to get here to even compete in the first place, and then she bribed the judges so you would win."

"She did nothing of the kind," Jesse responded.

"We don't need bribes or manipulations to win. We won fair and square. You lost. Do us all a favor and go deal with it somewhere else. Go spit your venom at someone else more deserving of your hate, like your choir director.  _He_  is the one you should be mad at, not me.  _He_ is the one who should have made sure you were better prepared and had enough money for transportation. How did you think you would get to Regionals if you had won? Did you really think they would agree to always have their competitions at McKinley?" Rachel said as calmly as she could manage.

"Go to Hell!" Mercedes yelled before turning on her heel and storming off.

"Come on, let's go celebrate. The rest of the team is waiting for you.  _They_  want to treat you to whatever you want from  _Cravings_ ," Holly told her.

"We'll be there in a minute," Jesse responded.

Holly nodded before giving her cousin a hug and then walking away, leaving Rachel and Jesse alone. Turning to his girlfriend, Jesse framed her face with his hands.

"You were amazing out there, Rach. I couldn't have asked for a better female lead or a better duet partner. You know we won fair and square, no matter what that hater says. There's always going to be people like that around-who claim we don't deserve our success-but they're  _wrong_. You deserve only the best in life."

Rachel smiled a little as she nodded.

"With you around, I'll never doubt it," she said softly.

"Good. Now, we're going to go celebrate with the team and then we'll go home and watch a Barbra movie while we relax together."

"Can I have a kiss first?"

Jesse grinned at her as he lowered his head.

"Always," he told her before closing the gap between them and capturing her lips with his.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Por el amor de Dios, hacer que se detengan = for the love of God, make them stop_

_ce fait j'ai mal aux Oreilles = this is making my ears hurt_

**Songs:**

_Jane Addams: Bootylicious, And I'm Teling You I'm not Going, Hair/Crazy in Love_

_New Directions: Jump, That's the way (I Like it), Le Freak_

_Vocal Adrenaline: Somebody to Love, Save the Last Dance for Me, You Rock My World_


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer:**  If I owned Glee, St. Berry would be together in NY where they belong

* * *

Walking into  _Cravings_  with Jesse, Rachel smiled when she saw the rest of her teammates. Unlike her previous ones, these teammates were just as happy to see her as she was to see them.

"Holly told us what happened," Andrea said, the first to walk over to her, "and we all want you to know that, if we had known, we would have been there to back you up in a heartbeat."

Rachel smiled at her new friend before she spoke.

"I know, and thank you. I don't want to think about Mercedes and her drama right now, though. I want to celebrate with all of you. I heard something about me being treated to whatever I want."

Andrea grinned at her and nodded.

"Yes, I did tell Jesse to tell you that. You'll have to forgive me for kind of taking over. Curse of being the oldest, I guess."

"It's okay. It's kind of nice to know there's someone who will step up if I'm not here."

"She just likes to boss people around," Jesse put in, making the two girls laugh.

" _You_  kicked ass today, too, Berry," Puck said when Rachel took a seat next to him at the table.

Rachel simply hugged him tightly and said, "Thank you, Noah."

"I vote Rachel and Jesse duet at Regionals and Nationals, too," Holly put in from across the table, with a wink for her cousin.

"Sounds good to me," Jesse added.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow," Shelby told them, "but I'm very inclined to agree. I don't know what exactly happened up there on that stage, but you two never sounded better."

"It's magic," Rachel responded as she smiled at her boyfriend.

* * *

After indulging her sweet tooth at  _Cravings_  as she celebrated with her team, Rachel walked into her house to find another surprise waiting for her.

"Grandma! Grandpa!"

"You were amazing, darling," Tabitha told her as they hugged.

"You were there?"

Charles laughed as he moved to hug his granddaughter.

"Yes, sweetheart, we were. We're very proud of both you and Holly."

"Does Holly know you're here?"

"Yes, we surprised her earlier-before you all went to… _Cravings_ , was it?" Tabitha answered.

Rachel nodded. "You have to try the food, it's delicious."

"Not as good as Hiram's, though," Jesse added.

Rachel giggled as she returned to her boyfriend's side.

"Of course it's not, but it's the closest thing I can get to Daddy's cooking when we aren't at home," she responded.

"Shelby mentioned your grandmother lives with your sister and her fiancé just a couple of houses down the road," Tabitha said.

"My sister bought our childhood home from our parents a few months ago. When my grandmother decided to move back here, Gen told her that she could just move into the house instead of trying to find an apartment," Jesse told her.

"Sounds like what Shelby did with Hiram and Leroy," Charles noticed.

"I'm glad she did. It's been nice to be able to see all three of my parents whenever I want to," Rachel put in.

"We know, darling," Tabitha assured her. "It seems to have worked out for everyone involved."

"Plus it makes your grandmother worry less," Charles added, earning chuckles of amusement from Rachel and Jesse as well as an annoyed look from Tabitha.

"How long are you here for?" Rachel asked.

"Until after the New Year. We have some friends here we'd like to visit, and it also gives us plenty of time to spend with our family," Tabitha answered.

"Are you staying here or at Aunt Sara's?"

"We'll be down the hall in the guest room. I'm sure you and Jesse want to relax, though, so we won't keep you any longer."

"I've been promised a Barbra movie of my choice," Rachel said with a smile as she moved to hug her grandparents one more time before walking upstairs with Jesse.

* * *

"Did you see the way he was looking at her?" Tabitha asked her husband as they settled into bed.

"See the way Jesse looks at Rachel?" Charles wanted to clarify. At Tabitha's nod, he spoke again. "Yes, I saw it. I saw the way she looks at him, too. It's the same way Shelby looked at Jack when she was Rachel's age….the way she still does, actually. They're in love, Tabby. Just like you and me, just like Hiram and Leroy, and Sara and Nick. They make each other happy. Besides, I know you already asked both Jesse  _and_  Dominic about their feelings for our granddaughters."

Tabitha smiled as she moved into her husband's embrace.

"I don't think I could have found better matches for any of them, even if I wanted to," she revealed.

"Good. So stop worrying and get some sleep, it's been a long day."

Tabitha smiled and nodded, closing her eyes to do as her husband suggested.

* * *

The next night, as he was getting ready to leave Holly's, Dominic let out a groan when he saw how much it had snowed, and still was snowing, outside.

"How bad do you think it is out there?" Nick commented as he walked up beside his daughter's boyfriend.

Dominic shrugged. "Hopefully not too bad, considering I have to drive in it."

"It doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon."

"Most likely not," Dominic agreed. "I just hope it doesn't take me an hour to get home. I'd tell Holly not to worry, but it won't do any good."

Nick chuckled as he clasped Dominic on the shoulder.

"That's very true. She does it out of love, you know."

Dominic smiled and nodded.

"I know, and I worry about her, too."

"Forgive me if this sounds like an interrogation, but Sara and I were just wondering what your plans are for next year."

"I'm still waiting to hear from Juilliard, which is my first choice, but I'm hoping to be accepted there. Jesse's waiting to hear from Tisch, and we've been talking about rooming together. I'll visit as often as I can, and I hope you'll let Holly visit me as well."

Nick nodded before he spoke again.

"So you intend to continue seeing Holly, then."

"Of course, I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"We just weren't sure how serious things between you two were. I've also seen how attached to you she's become. She's not dependent on you, and I wouldn't want her to be, but when she starts talking about marrying you before you two are even together, it causes her mother and me a bit of concern."

"I understand," Dominic told him. "Holly's had my complete attention since the moment I met her. She's unlike any other girl I've ever met. I'm not giving her up. Ever. I love her and I'll do whatever it takes to make things work with her. She's the love of my life and I  _will_  marry her someday."

Nick smiled at the younger man in front of him. "I think you should call your parents and let them know you won't be coming home tonight."

"I can stay?"

Nick nodded. "Even if it weren't snowing non-stop outside, I'd have consented to letting you stay. You mean a lot to my daughter, Dominic, and it's clear she means a lot to you, too. You make her happier than I've seen her in a very long time….and she's no longer afraid to just be herself."

Dominic scowled at the thought of Holly's former friends.

"They weren't really her friends if they thought she needed to change," he said. "She's perfect exactly the way she is."

"Well, I certainly won't argue with you about that."

"Thank you for letting me stay, Mr. Evans," Dominic said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Nick smiled. "You can call me Nick. Goodnight, Dominic."

"Goodnight," Dominic responded, shaking his head in disbelief as he dialed his father's number.

* * *

"Why are you in bed already?" Dominic asked as he walked back into his girlfriend's room.

"Because this way I might fall asleep instead of pacing with worry," Holly responded. "Why aren't you wearing your coat?"

"Your dad said I could stay. I talked to my dad, and he said that was fine, especially with the weather."

"Did my dad interrogate you? Please say no."

Dominic chuckled as he lay down next to Holly in the bed.

"Just a little, but it's okay. He did it out of love for you, Holl."

Holly smiled a little as she moved into Dominic's embrace.

"I know, but I still wish he wouldn't have."

"If he hadn't, I might not be lying here with you right now."

" _Je déteste quand tu as raison_ ," Holly grumbled, earning a laugh from her boyfriend as he tightened his arms around her.

* * *

"Do you know why Alec thinks he's seen Melina before?" Tasha asked Holly as they walked into rehearsal a couple of days later.

"I asked Dominic and he said something about Alec being the tour guide when he and Melina went to Juilliard over the summer."

"So why didn't she want to talk to him? Did she ask a stupid question she thinks he remembers or something?"

"Not too far off, actually. Dominic wouldn't tell me what happened, so I asked Melina. After some convincing, she told me that she'd hardly been able to say anything to him at all and that her nerves weren't helped by the fact that he was cute."

"Somehow I just can't picture my brother as attractive. It's kind of gross."

Holly laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"Tell me about it. If I hear another girl in the hallway saying how cute Liam is, I think I might puke."

"I'm still confused as to why she won't meet him. I'm sure there were lots of cute guys at Juilliard that day…on any day, actually."

"She said she's never been able to get him out of her head, he was all she could think about, even though she had a boyfriend at the time."

"Maybe I'll try to give Alec some hints, see if he catches on."

"Good luck with that."

Tasha laughed. "Speaking of boys, where's yours?"

"His dad called right as we were walking in, Shelby saw us and told him to go ahead and take it. I think it has something to do with his application to Juilliard, but I'm not sure yet," Holly answered.

"I'm sure he'll get in. Mama wants me to go to there, but I've been in Alec's shadow long enough. It's a great school, but I might explore my options a bit more than Alec did."

"I'm pretty sure Aunt Shelby has a whole list of dance schools you could apply to besides Juilliard."

"I don't want to think about college right now. I've got another year and a half of high school left and Mama is already fussing like I'm leaving tomorrow or something."

Holly laughed as she and Tasha took their seats.

"Sounds like your mom. Maybe I'll bring Dominic the next time I stop by, give her someone new to fuss over."

"Alec already told her about him. I'm pretty sure she promptly called your mom to talk to her about you two."

"Figures," Holly grumbled, earning a laugh from her friend.

* * *

"Jack."

At the sound of the once again familiar voice, Jack stopped walking and turned to face the owner of the voice.

"Mr. Corcoran," Jack returned-unsure what it was Charles wanted exactly.

"I told you before, you can call me Charles. Especially since I understand we may actually become family this time around."

"Did Rachel tell you?"

"Tabby mentioned she'd given you her mother's ring. From that, I took that she saw things as serious between the two of you. I assume you have plans to propose to my daughter."

"I do," Jack confirmed. "I haven't worked everything out yet, but I have a couple of different ideas. The only thing I'm nervous about is Shelby saying no."

Charles laughed as he clapped Jack on the shoulder.

"Shelby's wanted to marry you since she was sixteen. She'll say yes. Tabby and I like you, Jack, and I know both she and Shelby were holding out hope that you would come back."

"I'll be forever grateful to everyone who helped convince Shelby to at least hear me out. Sara especially."

Charles smiled at the mention of his older daughter.

"My Sara is one of those people who can get people to do what she wants without them realizing they're doing it. She gets it from her mother….just don't tell Tabby I said that."

Jack laughed and shook his head.

"I promise not to. I always thought Sara took after Tabitha more, where as Shelby took after you."

"She's definitely a Corcoran, that's for sure. She was telling me that you have been a lot of help to her with everything her team has going on in the next few weeks."

"She could do it on her own, she'd find a way, but I help where I can. I taught in New York, I enjoy working with the kids. Your granddaughters are quite the forces of nature themselves, too."

"They most definitely are, but just like their mothers, they've met their matches."

"They definitely have. I think I may need to invest in some French lessons from Nick pretty soon here, too. I can keep up with Santana's Spanish, but Holly's French and Tasha's occasional Russian are another story."

Charles laughed again as he nodded in understanding.

"As Holly likes to say, it's part of their charm."

"One of her favorite phrases. The other one is 'Nobody asked you', both spoken in French, of course."

"The second one was her mother's favorite phrase as a teenager, though she spoke it in English and not French."

"What about Shelby?"

"Shelby just expressed her feelings through music. The nice thing about it was we could always tell what kind of mood she was in by the music she was listening to."

"Rachel and Jesse are like that, too. I've witnessed a few sing-offs in the living room, too."

"Sing-offs?" Charles asked.

Jack nodded. "Yes. You'll have to ask Rachel and Jesse to explain. All I understand about them is that it's how they settle some of their rare disagreements."

* * *

"Hi, Dad," Rachel greeted as she walked into the living room a few nights later, the first night of Hanukkah.

"Hi, honey. Your Daddy is upstairs looking for the menorah. He swears we grabbed it the last time we were in Lima," Leroy said as he stood to hug his daughter.

"I think Mom said she has one somewhere, too. Daddy never answered me when I asked if he and Noah's mom worked out a date for us to spend a night of Hanukkah together."

"You'll have to ask him again, but I'm pretty sure it's Sunday night. Noah, Ava, and Laila are coming over for dinner and the candle lighting, I think. I heard something about Genevieve, Joel, and Jacqueline wanting to learn more about Hanukkah, too."

"Jesse's been researching it for months. I'm pretty sure he knows more than me now."

Leroy laughed as he and Rachel took seats on the couch.

"It's just a sign of how much he loves you."

"Daddy said you made a similar effort when you two first got together."

Leroy smiled and nodded.

"I did. I mostly learned by observing and asking questions. Your grandmother was surprised when I brought her  _sufganiyot_ the second year I celebrated it with your Daddy."

"I'm sure she loved you for it, though."

"She loved him long before that," Hiram put in as he walked into the room.

"Is Aunt Isabel coming over?" Rachel asked as she stood to hug her other father.

"Monday night. Noah and his family will be here Sunday night. Is Jesse joining us tonight?"

"He's upstairs listening to Queen in preparation for Regionals, I'll go get him."

* * *

"Time to light the candles?" Jesse asked as he saw Rachel walk into his room.

"Yes. Are you nervous about your solo, Jess?" Rachel returned as she took a seat next to him on the bed.

"A little," he admitted. "I've been begging Shelby to let me sing this song since I joined. I don't want to let her, or the team, down."

"You won't. I've heard you sing this song before, remember? You could already sing it in your sleep, and you know as well as I do that both my Mom and Jack would be more than happy to help you with it."

"Speaking of singing, I believe you owe me a duet," Jesse said with a smile as he stood and grabbed Rachel's hand, pulling her up as well.

"What duet did you have in mind?" Rachel asked as she followed Jesse down the hall.

"You'll see. It's a surprise. You have to wait until  _after_  dinner and the candle-lighting, though."

"Can I guess?"

"No."

"Will I like it?"

"I hope so."

Rachel was silent as she continued to follow her boyfriend and attempted to figure out the song he had in mind.

* * *

Once he had placed a candle in the rightmost spot on the menorah, Hiram sang the first blessing as he held the shamash.

" _Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah._ "

With a small smile, Rachel sang the second blessing after Hiram handed her the shamash.

" _Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, she'asah nisim l'avoteinu, b'yamim haheim bazman hazeh._ "

Placing his hands over his daughter's, Hiram sang the third and final blessing with his daughter.

" _Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, shehekheyanu, v'kiyamanu vehegianu lazman hazeh._ "

When he and Rachel finished singing, Hiram was silent as he lit the shamash.

"Go ahead and light the candle, sweetie," he told his daughter.

Rachel smiled and nodded, turning to light the rightmost candle before placing the shamash in the middle spot. Just as she'd put the shamash in it's place, she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist.

"That was beautiful, Rach," Jesse whispered before he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I never knew you could sing in…what was that, Hebrew?"

Rachel smiled and nodded as she turned in Jesse's arms.

"My grandparents always sang the blessings in Hebrew, and Daddy taught them to me when I was little. I think it just…adds something. It's also kind of a way for me to remember them, makes me really feel like they're with us when we celebrate Hanukkah."

"I'm sure they'd be very proud," Shelby put in from her spot on the couch next to Jack, "and also touched that you wanted to continue their tradition of singing the blessings in Hebrew."

"This is the first Hanukkah without them…it's a little strange, to be honest," Rachel confessed softly.

"It's okay for it to feel that way, honey," Leroy assured her, "and your Mom is right, they would be touched that you wanted to continue their tradition, even after they've gone."

Rachel nodded, doing her best not to cry.

"Are you ready for your surprise?" Jesse asked, hoping to cheer her up.

Rachel smiled as she nodded again, her smile growing when Jesse took her hand and laced their fingers together.

* * *

"My surprise is in the music room?" Rachel asked as she continued to follow her boyfriend.

"Part of it," Jesse told her as he motioned for her to take a seat on the piano bench.

"Do I have to close my eyes?"

Jesse laughed as he shook his head.

"No, not unless you want to," he answered.

Before she could say anything else, Rachel heard Jesse begin to play a familiar melody. With a smile, she began to sing the lyrics to the song he was playing.  
" _Ma-oz Tzur Y'shu-a-ti le-cha Na-eh L'sha-bei-ach_..."

* * *

"I have auditions for Tisch and Juilliard," Jesse revealed later that night as he and Rachel curled together in her bed.

"That's great, Jess," Rachel told him with a bright smile. "When are they?"

"The Monday and Wednesday after our holiday concert. I wish you could go with me."

"Me, too, but I doubt my parents will go for it, especially on such short notice."

"Dominic has his auditions for Juilliard and Barnard College that week, and Melina has her auditions for Juilliard and Marymount Manhattan, too. I'm sure Dominic will want Holly there, and it's not like there won't be any adults there."

"I'd love to go to New York, but it's the week before Christmas, and I doubt my parents would go for it. I guess I could bring it up to them and see what they say. Jack lived in New York for a while, so maybe if he and my Mom can go at least, then my dads would agree to it."

"You never know," Jesse told her with a smile, careful not to reveal what he already knew about the supposed plan he'd just mentioned to his girlfriend.

* * *

"Is everything ready for next weekend?" Shelby asked as she walked into the kitchen the next morning.

Hiram smiled and nodded. "I know we usually save the largest present for the last night of Hanukkah, but I think we could make an exception this year, especially since we'll be in New York by that point."

"Somehow, I don't think she'll mind. Sara said she's going to tell Holly that it's an early Christmas present, so neither of the girls will have any idea. According to Sara, Oliver and his family are planning to visit Alec at Juilliard that weekend, too, and then he'll be flying home for his break from school with them, so there will be plenty of people around."

"Are we all in the same hotel?" Leroy wondered.

Shelby nodded. "Jack said he took care of everything. Whatever that means."

"It means you don't need to worry," Jack responded as he walked into the room.

"But she will anyway," Hiram reminded the other man, earning an annoyed look from his friend.

"Between your restaurant opening and the trip to New York, Rachel has a weekend of surprises ahead of her."

* * *

"Why the long face, cousin?" Holly asked as she took a seat next to Rachel in the auditorium.

"Jesse's going to New York to audition for Tisch and Juilliard…and he leaves Saturday afternoon."

"If it makes you feel any better, Dominic is going, too. I guess I should get used to not being able to see him basically whenever I want to, though."

"Did you two talk about what's going to happen next year?" Rachel wondered, eager to talk about something other than the fact that her boyfriend would be leaving for almost a week the day after her birthday.

"Yes. We're good. He told me I'm his soul mate," Holly revealed.

Rachel beamed at her cousin before hugging her tightly.

"That's great! I mean, it's not great that you have to stay here while he's in New York, but that you found your soul mate."

Holly smiled a little as she nodded.

"It must be love if he thinks I still look beautiful with mascara running down my cheeks. My parents let him stay with us the other night. It was nice, but I'm pretty sure my dad asked him lots of questions first."

"I can picture your dad doing that," Rachel admitted. "At least you got to spend more time with Dominic, though. Your parents must like him, too, otherwise they wouldn't have even considered letting him stay."

"They do, they both liked him immediately. Even Liam likes him. Our grandparents adore him and I'm pretty sure I overheard Grandma saying she thought Dominic was a very nice young man…or something to that effect."

"That sounds like Grandma. She's already trying to take charge of planning my birthday party. My dads, my Mom,  _and_  Jack have all assured her everything is already taken care of. They had to get Grandpa involved in order to get Grandma to stop trying to take charge."

Holly laughed. "That sounds like her. My mom says it's where we get our bossy tendencies from. It's a Costa trait, not a Corcoran one."

"Speaking of moms, I think we better get back on stage so  _my_  mom can tell us what number we're rehearsing next."

* * *

After the second candle on the menorah had been lit, Hiram spoke first.

"I know we usually save the largest present for the last day of Hanukkah, but we were hoping you wouldn't mind making an exception this year," he said to his daughter.

Rachel turned to look at her boyfriend, who kept his face neutral as he shrugged.

"Is everything okay, Daddy?" Rachel asked as she took a seat next to Jesse.

"Everything is fine, baby," Shelby assured her. "Your dads, Jack, and I just wanted to surprise you, and we hope you like it."

Rachel nodded, but still seemed a bit unsure when Leroy handed her a small rectangular box. Once she had removed the wrapping paper on the box and lifted the lid, she gasped at what she saw inside.

"I get to go to New York with Jesse?" she asked, unsure if she could believe her eyes or not.

"We're all going," Jack told her with a grin.

Rachel grinned as she quickly set the box aside and then stood to hug each of her parents.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said, still bouncing with excitement even as she took a seat next to Jesse again.

* * *

"Did you know about my parents surprising me with being able to go to New York with you?" Rachel asked her boyfriend as he walked into her room later that night.

"Well, Shelby knew about my auditions, and I mentioned them to your dads, too. When Dominic's dad and step-mom said they were planning on accompanying their children, plus Tasha's family going there to visit Alec before he flies home with them for the semester break, they seemed to consider it more. Jack and my grandma paid both the tickets and the hotel rooms for our family, and helped to make sure we'd all be in the same location. I think  _all_  of the parents will worry less that way. Are you mad I didn't tell you?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, I was just wondering, that's all."

"I'm really glad you're going to be there, Rach," Jesse told her as he slid into the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms.

"Me, too. Are you nervous?"

"A little, but I've been working on these pieces for about a year now, and Jack's given me some pointers that he picked up when he was teaching in New York, so I'm confident I'll be accepted at both."

"I am, too," Rachel told him with a smile. "Do you know when you find out if your audition was a success and you were accepted?"

"I don't know for sure, but Shelby and Jack have both said it's usually sometime around the end of January or early February. I'm sure Shelby will keep us busy enough to keep our minds off of it for the most part. Regionals are in just a few months, and the competition will at the very least be better than Sectionals."

"We have the holiday concert first, which will include one of the many on-stage duets we're going to have in the future."

Jesse grinned at her as he nodded in agreement.

"It'll be magical," he told her before bending his head to capture her lips with his.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Je déteste quand tu as raison =_  I hate it when you're right

sufganiyot= deep-fried donuts filled with either jelly or custard and topped with powdered sugar.

_Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah_  = Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah

_Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, she'asah nisim l'avoteinu, b'yamim haheim bazman hazeh_  = Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who made miracles for our forefathers in those days at this time

_Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, shehekheyanu, v'kiyamanu vehegianu lazman hazeh_  = Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season

_Ma-oz Tzur Y'shu-a-ti le-cha Na-eh L'sha-bei-ach_ = Rock of ages, let our song praise Your saving power (Part of a Hanukkah song called  _Rock of Ages_  in English)


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N:** I have created family trees for most of the families in this story for those who would like to see them. They are on my tumblr (www. blk0912. tumblr . com [no spaces]). 

Hope you all enjoy and please review :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee. Also  _Prime Thyme_  is the name of an actual restaurant, and I don't own that either.

* * *

The morning of the holiday concert, all of the members of Vocal Adrenaline gathered in the choir room. They had been excused from their classes for the day so they could prepare for the concert tonight, and were just waiting on Shelby before they could begin their first run-through.

"Where's Shelby?" Puck asked, knowing by now it was unusual for her to be late.

"Just taking care of some last minute things. She'll be here shortly," Jack responded, though he was also wondering what was taking Shelby so long.

"Have you heard anything about our competition at Regionals?" Santana wondered.

"Well, Aural Intensity just won their Sectionals, so that means we'll be competing against them at Regionals. Other than that, I haven't heard anything."

"Are they any good?"

"They'd probably make it to Nationals if they didn't always end up competing against us," Shelby answered as she walked into the room.

"Well, at least my ears won't hurt after listening to them," Holly put in.

"Which means she may actually sit through a performance without criticizing it," Dominic added.

"Not likely," Rachel and Holly chorused together, earning chuckles of amusement from the rest of the team.

"Now that that's settled, I think we should begin our first run-through."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Jack asked his love with a wink.

"What could I possibly be forgetting?" Shelby asked, playing along. "I have the schedule for the show, and everyone is here."

"Check your list again."

Shelby set her things down on the piano and pretended to check her list before she spoke again.

"I suppose we should sing a warm-up song. One everyone knows."

Shelby did her best not to smile as she nodded in agreement and then began to play the opening notes to  _Happy Birthday_  on the piano. When she heard the team begin to sing and saw the smile on Rachel's face, she finally let herself smile as well.

"Happy Birthday, Rachel!" the team chorused once they had finished singing.

"Thank you, all of you. Just out of curiosity, whose idea was this?" Rachel responded, looking around the room at her boyfriend, cousin, and friends, all of whom shook their heads. When she looked over at her mother, she was surprised when Shelby pointed to Jack.

"Your Mom mentioned today was your birthday; I thought we should do something special for you. I was hoping you would like it."

Rachel stood and walked over to her future step-father to hug him tightly.

"I loved it," she told him with a smile.

* * *

"Jack seems to have a way with the kids," Emma commented as she took a seat next to Shelby in the auditorium later that afternoon.

Shelby smiled as she watched Jack interact with the small group from the team that consisted of Rachel and her friends on the stage.

"He does. He seems to really enjoy spending time with them, and vice versa. I don't think I could have picked a better assistant coach if I tried."

"I'm inclined to agree. He also seems to make  _you_  happy."

"He does that, too. He and Rachel hit it off immediately, which I'm not complaining about. Not anymore, anyway."

"So you're happy he's back in your life?"

"I am. I wasn't sure he'd fit in with my life here, or if he'd even want to, but I have to admit that he fits very well."

"When Carl and I first got together, you told me to not be afraid and just go with my feelings. I know things are a bit different for you, since you also have Rachel to consider, but I want you to take your own advice. Have a good time with Jack in New York. You two have already started to build a life together here, and he seems genuinely happy. I want you to promise me you won't fret this weekend, and just let yourself enjoy the time off with your friends and family."

"I promise. Are you and Carl doing anything special for the holidays?"

"We're going to Florida to spend some time with his sister and her family. His brothers and parents are going to be there, too. We're doing an early Christmas with my family, and then my parents are taking us to the airport the next morning. As much as I love a white Christmas, I'm looking forward to spending some time in a warm place."

"I don't blame you. Are you and Carl able to make it to the concert tonight?"

"We wouldn't miss it," Emma responded with a smile. "Is everything set up for Rachel's second surprise of the day?"

"Yes. I spoke to Genevieve and Jacqueline this morning, they're helping Leroy and Hiram get everything prepared. Hiram's restaurant doesn't officially open until we get back from New York, but he wanted Rachel and her friends to see it finished first. He's wanted to share this with Rachel for a while now, but he also wanted to surprise her, so I'm sure he's looking forward to not having to keep it a secret anymore."

"I'm looking forward to seeing her reaction."

"Me, too," Shelby agreed.

* * *

"Why are you nervous? You aren't singing a solo, just singing in the group numbers," Dominic asked his sister as he noticed her wringing her hands.

"I'm not nervous about tonight, I'm nervous about this weekend and next week," Melina responded.

"You have no reason to be nervous, Lina. If Alec doesn't like you, then he's not worth your time. As for your auditions, you have been practicing those dances for  _years_. We both decided when we were young that we wanted to go to Juilliard together, and we will. Stop worrying so much and just relax for a while. It's good for you."

Melina sighed as she dropped her hands back to her sides.

"I don't even know why I'm so obsessed with this guy. He probably doesn't even know who I am."

"According to Holly and Tasha, he does. He thought we both looked familiar, actually."

"Great."

Dominic walked over to his sister and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Lina, look at me," he requested. When she did as he asked, he continued. "You are beautiful, funny, smart, and so many other things. If this Alec guy can't see that, then it's  _his_  loss. I know your ex did a good job of making you think you were nothing without him, but he was wrong. I want you to forget about all of the drama with him, and with your dad, and just have fun with us this weekend. Promise me."

"I promise," Melina said with a small smile before she moved to hug her brother.

"Aw, how cute," Holly said as she walked up to the still-hugging siblings.

"Not all of us want to beat up our brothers," Melina responded with a laugh as she stepped back.

"I don't want to beat him up; I just get a kick out of embarrassing him."

"Right. Is your family coming with this weekend?"

"My mom is. My dad is staying here with Liam and he says my mom and I should use the time to bond some more."

"You said that's something you wanted to do," Dominic reminded her.

" _Personne ne vous a demandé_ ," Holly promptly responded, making Dominic roll his eyes good-naturedly and Melina laugh.

* * *

"Hello, gorgeous," Jesse greeted as he slid his arms around his girlfriend from behind her.

Rachel smiled as she tilted her head back so she could brush her lips with Jesse's.

"Hello, handsome."

"You seem awfully quiet for a birthday girl."

"I'm just taking everything in. Besides, I need to save energy for New York."

"You'll have plenty of energy for New York. From the stories your dads were telling, it sounds like no matter how much or how little sleep you've had the night before, the minute you land in New York, you're just a bundle of energy."

"It's  _New York_. How could you  _not_?"

"Good point. I'm glad you're going to be there, Rach."

Rachel turned in her boyfriend's arms to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Are you nervous?" she inquired.

"A little," Jesse admitted. "This is Tisch and Juilliard we're talking about. I'm not sure it's possible to  _not_ be nervous about auditioning for either one, let alone both."

"You'll be great, and I'm positive you'll be accepted at both. Holly said you and Dominic were talking about rooming together, too."

"Yeah. Jack said he still has his place in New York and it's not too far from either school, plus he'd let us live there rent-free."

"Wow. Does my Mom know he still has his place there?"

"I'm not sure. He didn't say anything either way."

"I guess we'll find out, then. Speaking of surprises, my dads said they had one for me after the concert. You wouldn't happen to know what it is, would you?"

"I might."

Rachel adopted her best puppy-dog-eyed look as she looked up at her boyfriend.

"Will you tell me what it is?"

"As adorable as you look, I promised I wouldn't. I will tell you that I'm sure you'll like it, though, since I know that's your next question."

"I suppose that will have to do. Can I have a kiss?"

Jesse chuckled as he nodded.

"You can have as many of those as you'd like," he told her as he bent his head to kiss her.

* * *

Once Shelby had made her introductory speech, she walked backstage as the curtain behind her opened to reveal Jesse and Blaine sitting opposite each other at keyboards. They started the number with what they referred to as a piano duel before they, along with Puck as well as a couple of other members of the team, began to play  _Wish Liszt._

"They seem to be enjoying themselves already," Jack commented from Shelby's side.

Shelby smiled and nodded, watching as the keyboards were taken off stage and replaced by a piano. After the piano had been wheeled the correct spot, Puck took a seat and waited for his girlfriend's signal that she was ready to begin her song.

_Noche de paz, noche de amor,_  
Todo duerme en derredor.  
Entre sus astros que esparcen su luz  
Bella anunciando al niñito Jesús.  
Brilla la estrella de paz,  
Brilla la estrella de paz.

"Why is  _abuela_ crying?" Santana's younger sister, Rosa, asked her mother as she noticed her grandmother's tears.

"She's surprised and proud,  _mija_. She didn't know Santana would be singing the song in Spanish," Mirabel responded.

"That makes sense, I guess."

"Yes, now be quiet and listen to your sister."

* * *

As she took Santana's place on stage with Puck, Rachel stopped to hug her friend.

"That was very beautiful," she whispered.

"Thank you," Santana whispered back as she returned her friend's hug and then joined the rest of the team off-stage.

Once she had taken her seat next to her childhood friend, Rachel exchanged a smile with him as she listened to him play the opening notes of their chosen Hanukkah duet. After she had sung the first verse, Puck joined his voice with hers for the chorus.

__**Don't let the light go out,**  
It's lasted for so many years!  
Don't let the light go out!  
Let it shine through our love and our tears!

Having just finished her duet with Puck, Rachel took a deep breath and waited a few moments before beginning her solo song.

_Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,_  
In the lane, snow is glistening  
A beautiful sight,  
We're happy tonight.  
Walking in a winter wonderland.  
Gone away is the bluebird,  
In his place is a new bird  
He sings a love song,  
As we go along,  
Walking in a winter wonderland.

Not long after she finished her solo, Jesse walked out onto the stage to join his girlfriend for their duet. He pressed a kiss to her cheek before she began the song.

_I pray you'll be our eyes_  
And watch us where we go  
And help us to be wise  
In times when we don't know  
Let this be our prayer  
As we go our way  
Lead us to a place  
Guide us with your Grace  
To a place where we'll be safe

**La luce che tu dai** **  
** _I pray we'll find your light_

Once her duet with Jesse was finished, Rachel left the stage so Jesse could sing his solo.

**Ave Maria Gratia plena**  
Maria Gratia plena  
Maria Gratia plena  
Ave, ave dominus  
Dominus tecum

Trading places with his cousin, Blaine waited for his cue before beginning the song he would be singing.

**So this is Christmas**  
And what have you done  
Another year over  
And a new one just begun  
And so this is Christmas  
I hope you have fun  
The near and the dear ones  
The old and the young

For the last number, all of the members of Vocal Adrenaline stood on stage as they waited for Santana to begin.

_Feliz Navidad_  
Feliz Navidad  
Feliz Navidad  
Prospero Año y Felicidad.  
Feliz Navidad  
Feliz Navidad  
Feliz Navidad  
Prospero Año y Felicidad.

Moving to the front of the stage to join her friend, Rachel sang the next few lines herself before the rest of team joined in.

_I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas  
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas  
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas  
From the bottom of my heart._ _  
_ __ **We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas**  
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas  
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas  
From the bottom of our heart.

* * *

"They're all so talented," Tabitha commented as she waited for her daughter and granddaughters to make their appearances.

"They are," Hiram agreed. "This was also something Shelby said they've wanted to do for years, so they put a lot of effort into it."

"They don't do this every year?" Charles wondered.

"According to Shelby, Carmel usually hires an outside group to do it. This year, though, the group backed out at the last minute and so the principal turned to Shelby. She took a vote, and it was a unanimous yes," Leroy answered.

"Have any of you seen Jesse?" Genevieve asked as she and Joel approached the small group standing near the entrance to the auditorium.

"We haven't seen any of them yet, I think Shelby's talking to them yet," Hiram answered.

Having noticed that it wasn't just Hiram and Leroy waiting for their daughter, Genevieve was immediately contrite.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you; I don't believe we've met. I'm Genevieve St. James, Jesse's older sister. This is our grandmother, Jacqueline St. James, and my fiancé, Joel Andrews."

"It's nice to meet you all," Tabitha said with a smile. "I'm Tabitha Corcoran, Shelby's mother, and Holly and Rachel's grandmother. This is my husband, Charles. We're here visiting for a few weeks."

"Are you coming to New York, too, then?" Jacqueline wondered.

"No. Charles and I are going to be staying at Sara and Nick's while they go with Holly. Liam didn't want to go, so Nick said he would stay here, thus allowing Sara and Holly to spend some mother-daughter time together. Since we were just in New York not that long ago, we volunteered to stay with Liam so Nick could go as well. We should get together sometime soon, though-especially since I have a feeling we'll be family someday."

"Ah, so you noticed it, too."

"The connection between our grandchildren? It'd be difficult not to."

"I think your grandma just made a new friend," Joel whispered to his fiancée as he watched the two grandmothers talk.

"Somehow I'm not completely surprised," Genevieve responded, silently relishing in the fact that her brother and his girlfriend were the current topic of conversation and not her.

* * *

"Are you hungry, sweetie?" Hiram asked his daughter as she hugged him once she and Jesse had joined the rest of the ever-growing group that had gathered outside of the auditorium.

"Starving. Holly said we weren't going to  _Cravings_ , though. I thought that was the plan?" Rachel responded.

"We're going somewhere extra special," Shelby told her. "Consider it a birthday present of sorts."

"Come on, cousin, let's get going. You're not the only hungry one," Holly said, looping her arm through Rachel's.

"Are you feeling okay?" Rachel asked her cousin.

"She's just excited about not having to keep this to herself much longer," Dominic explained.

"Keep what to herself much longer?"

"Your surprise," Jesse responded.

"There's  _another_  surprise?"

* * *

"Why haven't I seen this place before?" Rachel asked her boyfriend as they walked towards the restaurant together.

"It's new. It technically doesn't open for a couple of weeks, but your mom is good friends with the owner, so they made an exception," Jesse explained.

"Are you sure this place is vegan-friendly?"

"Considering the owner is a vegan, I'd go with yes."

" _Prime Thyme_. I like it."

"I'm sure the owner will be happy to hear that. Now, close your eyes."

"Why do I have to close my eyes?"

"It's part of the surprise."

Rachel sighed, but did as Jesse requested before he began to lead her inside.

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Rachel!"

Rachel's eyes flew open as she saw not only her family, but also her friends, gathered around the restaurant. Reaching for Jesse's hand, she gripped it tightly as she fought back tears.

"So, what do you think, sweetie?" Hiram asked, the first to speak.

"Is this yours, Daddy?" Rachel inquired, though she was sure she already knew the answer.

"Yes. It doesn't officially open for a couple of weeks yet, but it seems that our move opened up opportunities for all of us, not just you and your Dad."

"I love it already."

"Take a seat, birthday girl," Kurt instructed with a grin.

"You all knew?" Rachel asked, looking around at her family and friends as she and Jesse took their seats.

"It was  _torture_ ," Holly replied dramatically.

"You know, I think she may give you a run for your money in the  _teatrera_  department," Santana told her friend, earning a laugh and nod of agreement in return.

* * *

After everyone had eaten, the teenagers decided to make use of the stage while the adults talked amongst themselves. With her new camera in hand, Rachel returned to the table with a wide smile on her face.

"Genevieve, could you please take a picture of me with my parents and grandparents?" Rachel asked her future sister-in-law.

"Sure," Genevieve replied with a smile.

Jack was about to offer to take the picture instead when he felt someone grab his hand. Turning his head, he saw that that someone had been Rachel.

"I'm not one of your parents," he began to protest, only to be cut off by Rachel shaking her head.

"I consider you one of them," Rachel confessed softly. "…and I already consider you my step-dad…even though you haven't married my Mom yet. This is my birthday, and I'd really like for you to be in the picture with us. Please?"

"It's really hard to argue with that," Jack responded with a smile.

"Great!" Rachel beamed, pulling on Jack's hand to get him to stand up.

* * *

"Did you fill up your camera already?" Jesse teased as he walked into Rachel's room later that night and saw her looking at the pictures.

"I think I might have," Rachel admitted with a small laugh. "I've never had this many friends or family members around before….this is the best birthday I've ever had. I wanted to be able to remember everything."

"What do you think about your Daddy opening a restaurant?"

"I really like  _Cravings_ , and the food is still great, but it's not really a hang-out type of environment there. Plus, Daddy has been talking about opening a restaurant for years, so I'm glad he was able to do that. I love that everyone pitched in and helped, too. I'm actually a little surprised Holly didn't say anything. She's the one I would have picked to have told me by accident."

"If she hadn't met Dominic, I'm pretty sure she would have. She just told him everything instead of you," Jesse answered as he took a seat on the bed next to his girlfriend.

"Is Genevieve coming with tomorrow?"

"Yes, she and Joel will be there. Everyone is even on the same flight. Melina was the only one who seemed nervous about this weekend."

"I think she's more nervous about seeing Alec again than she is about her auditions."

"From what you've told me, I wouldn't doubt it. Hopefully being around her family and friends will work in her favor. What were you and Jack talking about for so long, by the way?"

"His proposal. He said it's my turn to be in on a surprise. My grandma even gave him my great-grandma's ring, which my Mom has always wanted."

"Sounds like he has everything planned out."

"I'm pretty sure he does. He said he'd let me know if anything changes. I think it's romantic."

"What's his plan?"

Rachel set her camera down on her bedside table before turning to her boyfriend and filling him in on Jack's proposal plans.

* * *

"It's entirely too early to be awake. It's still dark outside," Holly opined as she and the rest of her extended family sat in the airport gate's waiting area.

"We wanted to get an early start on New York, and this was the only flight where we could call be together," Shelby explained to her niece.

"Holly…" Sara started, only to be cut off by her sister shaking her head.

Holly sent her aunt a grateful look before turning to her cousin.

"Do you have your camera? I want to see all of the pictures you took."

Rachel smiled and nodded, handing her camera over to Holly.

"If you want copies of any, just let me know. There are a couple of cute ones of you and Dominic in there somewhere."

* * *

"I thought things were better between you and Holly," Shelby commented as she took a seat next to her sister.

"They are, but she hasn't stopped complaining since she woke up this morning."

"Sara, it's 6am on a Saturday when the kids don't have rehearsal. Besides, I seem to remember a certain someone complaining to Mom about early dance practices when we were younger."

"Like you never complained."

"I never said I didn't. I'm just saying cut Holly some slack. She's seventeen. I know she's excited about this trip and is happy that both you and Nick were able to come along, so please just relax and enjoy it."

"She does look happy," Sara responded as she looked over at her daughter, who was currently talking animatedly with Rachel about something.

"Exactly, so stop worrying. You can call Mom when we land in New York to check on Liam, too."

* * *

"I don't know if it's good or bad that all of our parents get along so well," Tasha commented to Melina as they sat together on the plane.

"I'm thinking both," Melina decided. "I'm glad they all seem to like each other, but that also means there's more potential for embarrassing childhood stories to be passed around."

Tasha giggled as she nodded in agreement.

"Probably. At least with my two older siblings around this weekend, Mama can fuss over them instead of me and my younger siblings. Speaking of parents, have you talked to your dad lately?"

"I think I'm done trying-at least for now. I have enough on my plate with school and Vocal Adrenaline. I don't need to add family drama on top of that. I kind of wish I'd decided to live with my Mom and Tony instead of my Dad and step-mom, but at least I get some time with them before I leave for college in a few months."

"You never mention your step-mom by name, why is that?"

"Because she's a colossal bitch. We hate each other."

"Then why did you live with them for so long?"

"I had friends in that school district…who it turns out really weren't my friends. I don't talk to any of them anymore."

"I'm sorry for asking so many questions, I'm just trying to understand…"

"It's okay. It kind of helps to talk about it with someone who doesn't know one or both of my parents."

"I consider us friends…and as such, I'm always willing to listen. Trust me-I've listened to plenty of rants over the years."

"I heard that, Tasha," Holly retorted from the seat in front of her friend, making the other two girls and Dominic laugh.

* * *

"I'm still kind of in disbelief that we're actually here," Rachel said as she and Jesse walked with their family in New York's airport.

"It's our future home," Jesse replied with a smile.

"I think Santana was on to something when she said you two make her want to  _dégueuler_ ," Holly put in as she caught up with them.

"You're one to talk," Rachel retorted. "You and Dominic have had plenty of moments that elicit a similar comment from Santana."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Holly told her with a grin and a wink before she moved to walk beside her mother.

"I sometimes still can't believe how much my life has changed in just a few months," Rachel said quietly as she and Jesse continued walking.

"I know what you mean. It sounds like your dads are planning on staying in Akron for a while, though, so you won't have to worry about them not having anything to do."

Rachel smiled as she nodded in agreement.

"My Mom told me she offered to let my dads continue to stay with her, even after I graduate."

"I can see her doing that. I think she likes having your dads around almost as much as you do."

"I'm pretty sure she does," Rachel agreed.

* * *

"This entire room is just for us?" Rachel asked once she had finished walking around the hotel suite she'd be sharing with her boyfriend.

"That's what Gen said. She said we should consider it a belated birthday present to both of us."

"Well, I certainly won't argue with that. Are we doing anything in particular today?"

"Not that I know of, but you never know. I think your Mom would be the one to ask," Jesse answered with a shrug.

"Are Holly and Dominic staying together, too?"

"If Gen had anything to do with the room assignments, I'd go with yes…as long as your aunt agreed to it."

"Which I'm sure my uncle convinced her to. She's also probably pretty distracted by all of the other parents here."

Jesse chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"That's very true. Is there anything in particular you'd like to do this weekend?"

"I'd love to see a show, but I doubt that's part of the plan. Besides, this weekend is about relaxing and ensuring that you, Melina, and Dominic are prepared for your auditions."

"I'd be up for seeing a show, and I'm sure your parents would, too."

"Maybe I'll do some research and see which shows are when before I mention it to them."

"Probably a good idea."

"I know what else is good idea."

Jesse grinned at Rachel as she slid her arms around his neck.

"What might that be?" he inquired.

"Santana taught me a new phrase in Spanish. I think I'd like to test it, see if it works."

"Is it some kind of magical spell?"

"You're already under my spell, and the only magic required was the kind we make together. I have heard that if you do as requested, it's very enjoyable."

"Hmm. I think you should fill me in on what this phrase is, then."

" _Bésame_."

With a smirk playing on his lips, Jesse leaned down to do as his love requested.

"Gladly."

* * *

"I need to tell you something," Jack confessed as soon as he and Shelby were alone in their suite.

"Okay…" Shelby responded, at the same time both unsure what the confession was going to be about and afraid to find out.

"I still have my place here in New York."

Shelby was silent as she took in Jack's words. She had thought things were going a little too well, and now she knew why. He still had an escape route. He could come back to New York at any time, pick up where he left off, be with someone who wasn't going to make him stay in Ohio.

"Shelby? Say something. Please?" Jack practically pleaded, desperately wanting reassurance that she wasn't going to freak out and tell him to leave again.

"Why?" Shelby finally asked.

"I was getting ready to sell the place and the kids of a couple of friends of mine were looking for a place to stay while they completed their internships. I offered them my place."

"Are you planning on selling it when their internships are finished?"

"I was thinking of keeping it, actually."

"So you lied when you told me you weren't going to move back here."

"No! I meant what I said about making a life with you in Akron…about not caring where I live as long as I have you. I overheard Jesse and Dominic talking about rooming together next year…and I figured I would offer my place to them. It's a three-bedroom condo, so Melina could live there, too. Then Holly and Rachel, too, when they inevitably move here. It's in a secure building, which I know would make all of the parents worry less as well."

"I'm sorry I doubted you, I'm just still so scared that you're going to wake up one day and decide I'm not worth it anymore."

Jack walked over to his love and slid his arms around her waist so he could hold her tightly before he spoke again.

"I love you, Shelby. I promise I'm not going anywhere. I really enjoy the job at Carmel, too. They're a great group of kids, and they obviously care about you just as much as you care about them. I understand why you chose to teach and to coach…trust me, I do. Plus, I already love Rachel like she's my own daughter, and the feeling is apparently mutual. I wouldn't give that up, either."

"What do you mean by 'the feeling is apparently mutual'?" Shelby wondered.

"Last night when Rachel asked Genevieve to take a picture with her and all of her parents, I thought she just meant you, Hiram, and Leroy. I was surprised when she didn't ask me to take it and I was about to ask her why when she told me she wanted me in the picture, too. She told me that even though you and I aren't married yet, that she already considered me her step-father and part of her family."

Shelby smiled a little as Jack outlined his conversation with Rachel.

"That sounds like Rachel," she agreed.

"I was thinking of bringing up the topic of the place to the kids this weekend. Since the parents, or parental figures in Jesse's case, are all here and my friends are out of town, I could bring them over to see the place, too."

"Do your friends' kids know you want to potentially show the place this weekend?"

"Yes. I already talked to them about it. They flew home yesterday afternoon anyway, so it wasn't a big deal."

"I guess we could talk to Jesse, Dominic, and Melina about it. I know Melina was seriously considering living on campus, but it could be another option for her to think about."

* * *

"I'm bored, let's dance," Marina said to her brother, grabbing his hand and tugging him up off of the couch he'd been sitting on.

"Don't you get enough dancing at school?" Alec wondered as he watched her pick a song.

"Nope. We're twins, Alec; you should know me better than that by now."

"Must be all the time apart interfering with my twin-telepathy."

"Ha ha. You think you're so funny."

"I am."

Marina gave her brother a disbelieving look before turning back to her music selection. Once she had found the song she wanted, she turned up the volume and pulled Alec back towards the middle of the room and their makeshift dance floor.

* * *

"Marina found the music," Tasha observed as she heard one of her sister's favorite songs begin to play.

"They're way better than I could ever be," Melina said as she watched the siblings dance.

"You're a great dancer. Juilliard wouldn't even be considering you if you weren't and vice versa. Alec and Marina have danced together since they were little. They're twins, so our parents partnered them up a lot in dance class. They thought it was cute or something, I guess."

"You talk about Alec more than Marina. Why is that?"

"Alec and I are closer. We always just kind of gravitated towards each other. Marina's always been more of a social butterfly than either Alec or I. She takes after our dad that way."

"Who is Alec more like?"

Tasha thought for a few moments before she answered.

"He's a lot like our dad, but he's a bit more reserved like our mom. Marina is technically older, but Alec acts like the typical first-born. He's very serious sometimes, but he has a fun side. He just doesn't show it much. You should talk to him, I'm sure you both would have a lot in common."

"I'm just the dumb blonde who couldn't form a complete sentence to save her life. What would he want with me?"

"What's with the negativity?"

"Years spent with a woman who hates you no matter what you do kind of tears down your self-esteem. Sorry, it's just kind of habit now."

"You said yourself that you're in a better place now. Your mom and step-dad are here, your friends are here, just relax and be yourself. I promise not to let you do anything embarrassing."

Melina laughed a little at her new friend's attempt to make her smile.

"Tony told me that even if Dominic wasn't auditioning this weekend, too, that he would still be here to support me."

"Are you nervous at all?"

"Terrified….but I want to get into at least one of the schools, so I'm just going to give it everything I've got…if that's not enough, I don't know what is, and I'll have to figure something else out."

"That's a  _much_  better attitude. Now, I say we take advantage of having a gigantic swimming pool downstairs and actually use it."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

"Hi."

Melina looked up from the book she'd been reading to see Alec sitting on the chair next to hers.

"Hi," she returned, unsure what else to say.

"What are you reading?"

" _Little Women_."

"Is there a particular reason you're sitting by the pool and reading instead of enjoying it like my sisters?"

"I was in the pool earlier."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Why do you care?"

Alec held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry, just trying to make conversation. I'll leave you alone," he said before he made a move to stand up.

"Wait," Melina said as she placed a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry."

Alec sat back down before he spoke again.

"I remember you," he told her.

Melina groaned as she placed her still-open book in front of her face to hide it, earning an amused chuckle from Alec. Leaning over, he lowered the book until he could see Melina's face again before he spoke.

"You're not the first person who didn't say much on their tour and you weren't the last one, either. It happens all of the time. I just kind of figured you were taking everything in."

"What made you remember me, then?"

"Well, I thought you were pretty-I still do, actually, and I saw the way you came to life when you were joking around with Dominic. You seemed like a fun person to be around and I wanted to get to know you better."

"You were watching me?"

"Don't sound so creeped out," Alec responded with a laugh. "I had class later that day and I saw you, Dominic, and your parents walking around the bookstore, which I pass on my way to the building where my class is held. You were smiling and laughing. Most people don't go from being nearly silent in their tour to smiling and laughing not long after it."

"You've probably seen a ton of gorgeous girls smiling and laughing all of the time."

Alec simply shrugged, unsure how to answer to that without making himself seem strange.

"You're different from the others, though. I don't know how yet exactly, but I'm positive it's in a good way."

"Thanks…I think," Melina replied before turning her attention back to her book.

Seeing that his sister intended to once again ignore the boy at her side, Dominic walked over to her and plucked her book out of her hands.

"Hey! Give that back, Dominic!"

"You can read it later," Dominic promised. "I even marked your spot. Stop being such a downer and have some fun."

"I was in the pool earlier. I want to read."

Intrigued by the sibling rivalry, Alec watched as Dominic stopped trying to argue with Melina and instead picked her up and promptly deposited her in the pool.

"Is she going to kill you later?" Alec wondered.

"She'll probably be mad at me for a little while, but she'll get over it soon enough. It's typical Melina behavior."

"Good to know."

Dominic smiled a little as he nodded in agreement. He didn't know the other boy very well yet, but both Holly and Sara had assured him that Alec was a nice guy who wouldn't play mind games with Melina...and that was enough. For now.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Personne ne vous a demandé_  = nobody asked you

_Abuela_  = grandmother

_Mija (shortened version of mi hija)_  = my daughter

_Feliz Navidad_  = merry christmas

_Prospero año y felicidad_  = prosperous year and happiness

_Teatrera_  = drama queen

_Dégueuler_  = vomit/puke

_Bésame_  = kiss me

_Noche de Paz_ = silent night

**Songs:**

Wish Liszt by Trans by Siberian Orchestra (Blaine, Jesse, Puck)

Noche De Paz (Santana)

Light One Candle by Peter, Paul, and Mary (Puck, Rachel)

Winter Wonderland by Selena Gomez and the Scene (Rachel)

The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli (Rachel, Jesse)

Ave Maria by David Archuleta (Jesse)

Happy X-Mas (The War is Over) by John Lennon (Blaine)

Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano (Santana, Rachel, VA)


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer:** The only thing I can claim are the characters I created. Otherwise, not mine.

* * *

"Do you know what my parents want to see us about?" Rachel asked Jesse as they walked to her dads' room together.

"I'm not sure. Your Mom's text didn't say much."

"I guess we'll find out," Rachel replied as she raised her hand to knock on the door.

"Hi sweetie, Jesse," Hiram greeted as he opened the door a few seconds later.

"Is everything okay?" Jesse wondered as he and Rachel followed Hiram into the room.

"I'm afraid we have another surprise, but this one is for both of you," Shelby answered, handing each of them an envelope.

Rachel tore open her envelope as carefully as she could manage, her worried frown turning into a grin as she discovered what was inside.

"Are we all going to see the show?" she asked once Jesse showed her that his envelope had also contained a ticket for  _Rock of Ages_.

"Just the six of us. I thought it would be something nice to for us to do as a family," Jack explained. "I was hoping you'd both be okay with the choice of musical."

"I haven't seen this one, but I've been wanting to, so I'm looking forward to it," Jesse answered.

"It's a  _Broadway_  show; do you ever have to ask if I'm interested?" Rachel asked excitedly.

"I'm going to take it that's a yes," Jack said to Shelby, who smiled and nodded in agreement.

"We were thinking of getting something to eat beforehand, so we need to get going soon," Leroy added.

"We'll be ready in a little bit, Dad. I promise," Rachel responded before she grabbed Jesse's hand and led him out of the room.

* * *

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Penelope asked as she knocked on her daughter's hotel room door.

Melina opened the door to let her mother in, but said nothing as she flopped back down on the couch. Once she had shut the door, Penelope took a seat next to her and immediately reached out to stroke her daughter's hair.

"Are you still mad at Dominic for throwing you into the pool?" she queried.

Melina sighed and shrugged.

"No, not really. You know I can't stay mad at him for very long. I just wish he wouldn't have done that in front of Alec. Now he probably thinks I'm some prude who never has any fun and has to rely on her brother for entertainment."

"I doubt he thinks that. Dominic said you two talked a bit beforehand."

"We did. He remembers me."

"Is that good or bad?"

"I'm not sure yet. Alec insists it's not bad, but I don't know if I agree."

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you that Holly used to say she hated Dominic?"

"No way. They're crazy about each other."

"They are now, but the feeling wasn't always mutual."

"What's the point of bringing up my brother's relationship?"

"There's a reason Alec remembers you. From what I've heard, it's a positive memory. Holly intrigued Dominic from the start…and I'd say it's safe to bet that Alec feels the same about you."

"What's the point of even trying?" Melina wondered with a sigh. "He lives in New York, and I live in Ohio."

"You'll be here to live in just a few months. Take time to get to know each other and go from there. Have you thought any more about living with Dominic and Jesse next year?"

Melina shrugged before she spoke again.

"I'm still thinking about it. I haven't decided anything yet."

"It's your decision, sweetie."

"I know. Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome. Are you hungry?"

Melina nodded.

"Very."

"Tony and Oliver are ordering take-out for those of us not going to see a Broadway show tonight. We're supposed to meet them downstairs in an hour."

"I think I'm going to shower and change. I'll meet you in your room, okay?"

"Sure."

Melina hugged her mother and said, "Thanks again, Mom," before she stood and made her way into the bathroom.

With a small smile, Penelope stood and grabbed the gift bag she had hidden from her daughter, placing it on the bed before walking back across the hall to her own room.

* * *

"What does Alec want with the blonde-haired girl?" Marina asked her sister as they walked downstairs to dinner together.

"He likes her, Marina. She's a genuinely nice person who doesn't play petty mind-games with people. She's a bit shy, but once you get to know her, she's a lot more open. She's been a good friend to me and to Dmitry. Even Tatiana likes her."

"I just don't want him to get hurt like the last time. She broke his heart, Tasha."

"I remember. Melina wouldn't do any of the things that other girl did, though. If he wants to date her, please don't stand in their way."

"Considering she didn't make a big deal about being dumped in the pool, and I think I even saw her smiling a little, I'd say she's already better than the last girl Alec dated."

"I know she is. Just trust me on this, okay?"

Marina sighed but nodded in agreement.

"Fine, but only because you know her better than I do."

* * *

After dinner, as everyone moved around to form various groups, Marina took the opportunity to talk to the girl her brother seemed to be so infatuated with.

"Hi," she said as she took a seat next to the blonde-haired girl.

"Hi," Melina returned, once again unsure what else to say.

"I don't think we were ever properly introduced. I'm Marina McKenzie, Alec's sister."

"I'm Melina Harris, Dominic's sister," Melina returned.

"I thought Dominic's last name was Edwards?"

"It is. We're step-siblings technically, but my mom and his dad married when were so young that we grew up with each other as brother and sister," Melina explained.

Marina nodded in understanding before she spoke again.

"Don't you ever get tired of explaining that to people?" she wondered.

Melina shrugged a little.

"Sometimes, but I don't think of Dominic as my step-brother. He's my brother. Same last name or not. If people can't understand that, then they're not worth having around anyway."

"It sounds like you've had experiences with those types of people before," Marina observed.

"I have, but I don't really want to talk about it."

"Understandable," Marina told her. "Since you're now friends with my sister, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around. Good luck on your audition, Melina."

As she made a move to stand up, Marina felt Melina's hand on her arm.

"Why Boston?" Melina wondered.

"I was accepted to Juilliard, but I didn't want to go to the same school as Alec anymore, and a couple of my friends from high school go to school in Boston, so that was a plus, too. I love my brother dearly, but I wanted to create my own identity. I just wanted to be Marina. Not anyone's twin or sister. Juilliard is a fabulous school, but I'm not sure I ever could have felt at home there. It might sound silly, but the minute I walked onto the campus of my school in Boston, I immediately felt like that was where I was supposed to be. I love New York, and Ohio will always hold a special place in my heart, but Boston is home," Marina answered as she sat back down and turned to face the girl at her side.

"Dominic and I always planned on going to Juilliard together...I guess I never had to deal with being known as his sister because, up until this year, we never went to the same school. Plus we have different last names."

"There's nothing wrong with going to the same school as your sibling, but it just wasn't for me. Alec and I visit when we can, we take turns, and we make sure to keep in contact. He understands why I made the decision I did."

"Even if Dominic and I don't end up at Juilliard together, I hope we can stay in touch the way you and Alec do."

Marina smiled at the younger girl.

"I'm sure you will. You two seem close."

"I can honestly say I don't know what I'd do without him," Melina revealed.

"I feel the same about Alec. His last girlfriend hated me. She felt I was invading on their "couple time", as she called it. I hated her right back, so it wasn't a big deal, but still. It was irritating. That's not the type of girl he needs."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I know you like my brother. You understand that Alec and I are close because you and Dominic are the same way."

"Holly understands, but she and Liam aren't that way."

"No, but she loves him. Even if he does irritate her most of the time."

Melina laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"Oh he does. I think he gets a kick out of it."

"I have no doubt that he does. Holly used to yell at him in English  _and_  French."

"She still does. I can only understand the English. I make Dominic translate the French."

"Sounds like Holly is finally back to being herself again. She and Dominic are pretty cute together, too."

"He loves her. I'm pretty sure she'll end up being my sister-in-law someday."

"How do you feel about that?" Marina wondered.

"I'm perfectly fine with it. I like Holly, and she's the perfect match for Dominic."

"Seems like there's a lot of soul mate/perfect match talk going around lately. It makes me a little anxious that Mama will start trying to match  _me_  up with someone before I can tell her about Edmund."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Yeah. He and I have been friends since we were freshman, my whole family knows him, but we just recently decided to be more than friends," Marina answered.

Before either girl could say anything else, they saw Alec walk up to them.

"I hope she hasn't been talking your ear off. She's been known to do that," he said to Melina.

"You could just ask her to dance or walk with you without insulting me in the process, you know," Marina retorted.

"Where would the fun in that be?" Alec shot back with a grin.

"You two have fun, I need to go find Mama," Marina said as she stood and then walked away.

"So, will you dance with me?" Alec asked once his sister was out of earshot.

"What kind of dance are we talking about?"

"You'll see. Think you can keep up?"

"I suppose I could try," Melina replied, smiling in spite of feeling completely nervous inside.

"That's the spirit," Alec said with a laugh as he led Melina towards the front of the room, where Marina had hooked up her iPod.

"Ready?" Tasha asked with a grin as she held the device in her hand, finger hovering about the play button.

"Ready for what?" Melina wondered.

"We call this Tasha's Dance Challenge," Alec explained. "She picks songs; we have to dance to them. Various styles and tempos. No more than a minute of pause between songs. It's fun, I promise."

"I'm so not wearing the right shoes for this, but okay," Melina replied.

"Great!" Tasha exclaimed, sounding a little too much like Rachel for Melina's liking, before pressing the  _play_  button.

* * *

"Looks like Alec and Melina are getting along," Holly observed as she watched the two switch dances styles-from a fast jive to a slow waltz.

"I'd say Tasha is having too much fun with this, too," Dominic added.

"Probably," Holly agreed. "I remember the first time you asked me to dance."

"Is that good or bad?"

"It's good. Rachel said Santana yelled at you shortly beforehand, though."

"She told me to stop being so stubborn and ask you to dance, to make you fall in love with me as much as I was falling in love with you."

"You succeeded in doing both of those things."

"People say Rachel is the one to look out for when it comes to matchmaking, but I think it's really Santana they should be worried about."

Holly shot her boyfriend a confused look.

"Are you saying if hadn't been for Santana, you wouldn't have asked me to dance or given me my necklace…or asked me to give you a chance?"

"No. I wanted to do all of those things, but I just might not have done them right then if she hadn't pushed me."

"Oh."

"What do you mean by 'oh'?" Dominic asked cautiously.

"Nothing."

"Holly."

"I think I'm just going to go upstairs and go to bed," Holly said softly as she stood and began to walk out of the room.

"Holly, wait. Stop walking away," Dominic said as he followed his girlfriend out the door, unsure what he had said wrong.

* * *

Seeing her daughter walk away from Dominic, Sara started to follow them before she felt an arm around her waist.

"Let them work it out," Nick told her. "If she needs us, she'll let us know."

"But…" Sara started, only to be cut off by Nick shaking his head at her.

"No buts. They're old enough to work out their arguments themselves. Just leave them be."

Sara sighed but nodded in agreement before following her husband back to their table. Noticing Talia's and Marina's grins, she knew she had found her distraction.

"What's all the smiling about?" Sara queried once she had switched seats with Oliver to be closer to the two smiling women.

"Edmund asked me out," Marina revealed.

"She was just about to tell me how he asked her, too," Talia added.

"I'm sure it was sweet," Sara told her.

"It was," Marina agreed before proceeding to tell her mother and the woman who had been like an aunt to her all about the day Edmund had (finally) asked her out.

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what's going on now?" Dominic asked as he followed Holly into their room.

"I'm just being dramatic, ignore me," Holly replied as she walked into the bedroom.

"I'm not going to ignore you, especially not when something is clearly bothering you."

"Why did it take Santana's encouragement to ask me out?"

"Because I wasn't sure if I was imagining that you might feel the same or not. You have to understand, I wasn't exactly planning on you storming into my life, Holl."

"I didn't plan on finding you, either," Holly shot back. "My life had pretty much just been turned upside down on me. Besides, you got me in trouble on my first day."

Realizing that Holly was acknowledging how dramatic she'd just been, Dominic sent her a small smile.

"You got yourself in trouble," he replied.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you next year. It scares me."

"Why?"

"Because you've become so important to me, such a big part of my everyday life. I won't be able to drive into Akron to see you anymore. I'll have to hope you answer the phone when I need you. I have this stupid, irrational fear that we're going to grow apart, despite everything we feel right now. What if those feelings aren't enough to make this work? What if we weren't supposed to be together in the first place? What if Santana hadn't encouraged you?"

Dominic walked over to his girlfriend and pulled her into his arms before he spoke again.

"Breathe," he told her first. Once she had taken a couple of deep breaths, he continued. "I bought your necklace weeks before the Lima trip, remember? Even if I hadn't had Santana's encouragement, I still would have asked you out. It might not have been that night, but I had decided it a while before the trip. When we fought that morning, I started to second-guess myself. I wasn't sure you could see me as anything but an obnoxious jerk."

"I had a feeling there was more to you than I was letting myself see," Holly admitted softly.

"You're important to me, too, you know. I love you, you're my soul mate. We're meant to be. We'll make the long-distance thing work. I agree that it sucks, but it's not forever. We talked about this, Holl."

"I know, I'm just being my usual dramatic self. It all just kind of hit me again when we got here. I've been trying to ignore it, but then when you said that you might not have asked me out that night in Lima if it hadn't been for Santana, it just fed that insecurity. I'm still adjusting to being able to fully be myself. I still don't fully believe anyone could love me the way that you're telling me that you do."

"Well, I do, and I always will. I told your dad that I intend to marry you someday."

"You did?"

Dominic nodded before bending his head to brush his lips with Holly's.

"I'm sorry for being such a drama queen and making a big deal out of nothing," Holly said when they ended the kiss.

Suddenly realizing that Dominic had slid something onto her finger while they were kissing, she raised her right hand before turning back to her boyfriend.

"Dominic, what is this?" she asked, doing her best not to admire the new piece of jewelry before she received her answer.

"It's a promise ring," Dominic answered.

"A…promise ring?"

"Yes. Consider it a physical representation of my feelings for you. Do you like it?"

"It's gorgeous, and it's the same color as my necklace…so I can wear them together. You don't have to keep spending all of your money on me, though."

"I'm not spending all of my money, I still have plenty saved."

"Well, you weren't going to get it back, anyway," Holly retorted with a grin for her boyfriend.

Dominic laughed as he hugged her tightly.

"We should go back downstairs; your mom is probably worried, and we disappeared kind of suddenly."

Holly nodded in agreement, reluctantly stepping out of her boyfriend's embrace and lacing their fingers together instead.

* * *

"Jess, what is this?" Rachel asked as she noticed a small gift bag sitting on the end of the bed in her and Jesse's hotel room.

"Open it and find out," Jesse replied.

Eyeing her boyfriend skeptically, Rachel did as he instructed. When she opened the smaller box inside of the bag to reveal a ring, her look turned from skepticism to confusion.

"It's a promise ring," Jesse explained, walking over to her and taking the ring from the box. "I love you, Rachel, so much more than I ever that I could love anyone. I wanted you to have a tangible reminder of my love for you. I plan on asking you to marry me someday, but you already know that."

"I was actually looking at this ring the day I went to the mall with Santana, Kurt, Holly, and some of the other girls from the team."

"You were?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"I was," she confirmed. "I have no idea how you managed to read my mind, but I'm certainly not complaining."

Jesse chuckled as he slid the ring onto Rachel's finger.

"Great minds think alike," he told her with a wink.

"They must," Rachel agreed with a smile.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Come on, we should start our routines before it gets too late. I'm pretty sure I heard something about brunch tomorrow," Jesse told her.

"In a minute," Rachel replied before she leaned up to press her lips to his.

In response, Jesse simply slid his arms around her waist and pulled her closer as he returned the kiss.


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer:**  Glee isn't mine. Nothing new there.

* * *

"So, what's the big news, cousin?" Holly asked her cousin the next morning as they walked downstairs to breakfast together, their boyfriends talking amongst themselves not far behind them.

Rachel held up her right hand as she grinned and said, "Jesse gave me a promise ring."

"Funny you should mention those," Holly said with a smile of her own.

Rachel reached for her cousin's hand and smiled when she saw the ring Holly now wore there.

"It's gorgeous," she said, sharing a smile with the older girl. "When did Dominic give this to you?"

"Last night. While you, Jesse, and all four of your parents were out at the show, the rest of us all had dinner together. Afterwards we all just kind of hung out for a while. I kind of…misinterpreted something Dominic said. He slid it onto my finger without me knowing."

"Sounds like something he would do. Are things okay between you two?"

"Things are great, it's just...I'm still adjusting to someone loving me for exactly who I am…loving me the way Dominic tells me he does. I'm scared that I'm going to wake up one day and it will all have been a dream. Those insecurities all came rushing back when we got here and I had bottled them up. As usual, Dominic got me to tell him what was bothering me."

"I've see the way he looks at you, Holly. He loves you, there's no doubt in my mind about that. Sometimes I feel the same way about Jesse-that I'll wake up one day and this will all be a dream. He's everything I ever wanted and so much more. At least you and Dominic only have to deal with being apart for a year."

"Yeah, I'm still not looking forward to that."

"Neither am I. I hate being apart from Jesse, but I also can't ask him to give up his dream of living in New York, of getting out of Ohio. I guess at least New York isn't that far away, it's not like it's all the way across the county or something."

"Must you always be so optimistic?" Holly questioned, earning a laugh from her cousin in return.

"Someone has to counter your pessimism when Dominic isn't around," Rachel returned with a grin.

* * *

"Mom."

At the sound of her daughter's voice, Sara turned and smiled at her.

"Hi, honey. Where's your other half?"

"With our friends. I was hoping you had a minute to talk," Holly responded tentatively.

"Of course. Is everything okay?"

"I had a lot to eat for breakfast, do you mind if we walk?"

"Sure."

Once she and Holly had walked outside, Sara posed her question again.

"Are you sure everything is okay?"

"Dominic gave me a promise ring," Holly told her.

"Did you not want him to do that?"

"I'm happy that he did, I'm just still kind of processing everything."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm scared, Mom. What if Dominic moves here and he forgets all about me? I'm just some girl he dated for less than a year in Ohio. I'm not going to see him every day anymore. I love him."

Sara stopped walking to hug her daughter tightly.

"I know you do, honey. I'd say he loves you just as much, and I highly doubt he'll just forget about you. Dominic doesn't strike me as the type to say things he doesn't mean, and I'd say buying you that ring is a big indication of what his intentions are."

After a few moments of silence, Holly spoke again.

"Why did you let me be around those people who tried to change me?"

Sara sighed before she answered her daughter.

"Your Dad and I thought it was just a phase you were going through. We didn't realize how much of an effect these people were having on you right away. You saw these people on a daily basis, you considered them your friends. We wanted you to be able to see these people for who they really were. When that didn't happen, when your grades started to fall, we knew something was very wrong."

"I quit something I once claimed to love because they convinced me it was stupid. Why didn't you see that as a sign that something was wrong?"

"In hindsight, we should have, but it's natural for people to grow out of things as they get older. We originally thought that that was what had happened. I'm sorry we didn't do something sooner. I wish you would have felt that you could come to us and tell us you wanted to go back to Carmel."

"I'm sorry for being such a pain."

Sara laughed as she hugged her daughter again.

"You're a teenager, it happens. I'm very proud of how much you seem to have matured, though….and I'm glad you feel you can talk to me now."

"Do you want to see the ring?"

"I'd love to."

* * *

"What would you like to do today, my love?" Jesse asked his girlfriend after they had finished their breakfast.

"I think we should relax, and I know you wanted to run through your audition pieces a couple more times with my Mom and Jack. I think it would only work to your advantage to be fully rested before your auditions."

"This is all true. Relaxing with you definitely sounds like a good plan to me."

"We should probably spend some time with our friends, too."

"What if I want you all to myself?"

"You've had me all to yourself since last night."

"Not nearly enough time."

Rachel laughed as she leaned over to press a kiss to her boyfriend's cheek.

"I'll make it up to you later," she told him.

"I'm holding you to that."

"I'm sure you will."

* * *

"Why do you keep fussing with your hair?" Tasha asked her sister later that afternoon as she saw the older girl pick up the curling iron again.

"Because Mama invited Edmund to lunch."

"Okay….isn't this the same guy who has seen you with no make-up and also with mascara running down your face because another guy broke your heart, though?"

Marina shot her sister a confused look in the mirror.

"Yes…what does that have to do with anything? I want to look nice for him."

"The guy's clearly crazy about you, I don't really think it matters how you look."

"What's your point, Tasha? Can't I look nice for my boyfriend?"

"I never said that, it just seems like you're nervous for another reason other than your boyfriend is stopping by. It's not like this is the first time he's met our parents."

"It's different now."

"I don't understand."

"Of course you don't. You've never had a serious boyfriend," Marina responded automatically, not thinking her thoughts through before she said them aloud.

"I wonder why. All the boys were always looking at you or were too scared to ask me out because my mother was their teacher. They don't find me attractive, and I don't blame them."

"Tasha…"

"Have fun on your date with Edmund," Tasha said before she turned and began to walk out of the room.

Marina sighed as she set down the curling iron and went after her sister.

"Natasha Kristina McKenzie," she said, in her best imitation of their mother.

As expected, Tasha stopped and turned to glare at her sister.

"Could you please  _not_  sound exactly like Mama when you do that? It's really creepy."

"It got your attention."

"Okay, fine. What can I help you with, Marina Katherine McKenzie?"

"I'm sorry," Marina started with a sigh. "I'm just nervous. Edmund and I pretty much  _just_  decided to be more than friends. I know our parents already like him, but I'm just scared Mama is  _really_  going to start asking questions now. You know how she gets."

"No, I don't."

"Tasha, please. I said I was sorry. I didn't mean that the way it sounded," Marina tried again. "If it makes you feel any better, I used to wish I had brown hair instead of red."

"Why would you do that? Your hair is gorgeous. I  _still_  wish mine was more than just a dull brown color."

"It is not  _dull_."

"I'd really like to know whose bright idea it was to give you and Tatiana red hair while I'm stuck with brown hair like our brothers."

"You could always dye it," Marina suggested with a shrug.

"Right. Because Mama would let me do that."

"I could probably convince her."

"You always were her favorite, so I'm sure she'd agree."

"That's not true and you know it."

"Whatever."

"Drop the attitude, Tasha. I said I was sorry, what more do you want me to do? I really didn't mean what I said."

"Just hurry up and finish getting ready. I want to be alone," Tasha replied before she stalked over to her bed and lying down on it with her back towards her sister.

"I really am sorry," Marina said softly before she sighed and went back into the bathroom to finish curling her hair.

* * *

"You know, for someone whose boyfriend will be here any minute, you seem awfully irritated," Alec commented as he saw Marina standing with her arms over her chest.

"Tasha is being difficult."

"What did you say to her?"

"What makes you think I said anything?" Marina asked defensively.

"Because nine times out of ten, it's you who said something to make Tasha mad. It's just how you two are. It's how you two have always been. I stopped counting the number of times you two fought and Mama or Dad had to intervene."

"Some twin brother you are."

"Hey, I'm just telling you the truth. Now, what did you say to Tasha?"

Marina sighed as she threw her hands up in the air.

"She was asking me why I was fussing with my hair so much, I tried explaining that I wanted to look nice for Edmund and she got all defensive."

"There's more to the story than that."

"I snapped at her and told her she wouldn't understand because she's never had a serious boyfriend."

"You really need to work on your tact, Mari," Alec told her.

"I told her I was sorry! I didn't mean it."

"That doesn't mean it didn't hurt."

"She won't talk to me. I tried. Multiple times."

"I'll talk to her, but I'm not guaranteeing anything."

"I know this isn't what you wanted to be doing today, Alec. I'm sorry."

"For some crazy reason, I love both of you and I want to see you get along. I've always been the peacemaker. Apparently I have a knack for it."

Marina hugged her brother.

"You're the best," she told him. "I mean that."

"I know," Alec told her as he returned her hug and then made his way towards the elevator so he could go check on his other sister.

* * *

As he was about to walk down the hall to the room Marina and Tasha were sharing, he saw Melina walk out of her room.

"Hi," she said as she approached him.

"Hey. Are you going somewhere?" He returned.

"Nowhere in particular. I was thinking about the pool again, minus my brother this time, since his girlfriend has him successfully distracted at the moment."

Alec chuckled as he caught Melina's meaning.

"Seems like a rather common occurrence-him tossing you in the pool, I mean."

"More than you know. I thought we would have grown out of that by now, but apparently not."

"If it makes you feel any better, Tasha and Marina still manage to fight with each other, even though they've only been in the same room again for less than forty-eight hours."

"I take it  _that_  is the common occurrence in your family."

"Unfortunately. I've been given the task of peace-keeper apparently."

"I think it's sweet. You obviously love them both very much."

"You're the first girl to say that. Most of them think it's a waste of time."

"I'm not like most girls," Melina found herself saying.

Alec smiled at her.

"I can see that. Enjoy your brother-less pool time, Melina."

"Do you want some help with the peacekeeping? I've been told I'm quite good at it myself."

"I suppose a female perspective could only help."

Not knowing where her sudden boldness was coming from, but deciding to take advantage of it, Melina simply nodded before following Alec down the hall to Tasha and Marina's room.

* * *

"Tasha," Alec said as he knocked on the door to his sisters' hotel room.

A few moments later, Tasha opened the door, clearly unsurprised to find her brother standing there.

"What can I help you with, Alec? Did Marina send you?"

"I volunteered."

"I don't want to talk. I want to be alone. Why can't any of you understand that?"

Alec was about to say more when he felt Melina place her hand on his arm. Turning to look at her, he saw that she was shaking her head.

"All right," Alec said with a sigh, "but I have my phone with me if you change your mind. Do you need anything?"

"I have food and water….and thanks. I know you care, but I just really want to be alone. Maybe take a nap or something. I'll call you if I change my mind. Thanks to you, too, Melina," Tasha said with a small smile before she closed the door.

"That's…odd," Alec said a few moments later.

"Why?" Melina wondered as they began to walk back down the hall.

"She's usually pretty willing to talk. Marina is usually the one I have to pry information out of."

"I'd say get Holly to try talking to her, but she's with Dominic right now, so that's not an option."

"I could send our mother, too, but I think Tasha really does just want some time to herself. She gets irritated easily if she isn't allowed to have her alone time."

"I can understand that. When we were younger, before our parents added onto the house, Dominic made a spot in this little room at the back of the house. He used to go there to get away from the rest of us. I was the only other person allowed in there. It kept us sane."

Alec nodded, a little confused as to what had made Melina decide to suddenly open up to him. He wasn't going to complain, though. He wanted to get to know her.

* * *

"My parents are in town," Jack said as he walked back into the room he shared with Shelby.

"What?" Shelby asked, her attention suddenly focused on Jack instead of the music she had been looking over.

"They want us to go out to dinner with them tonight. Apparently it was all a big coincidence, but I highly doubt it."

"You're probably right. I'm sure my mother called yours and was gushing about how we finally got back together. In the process, she probably said something about us being in New York."

"I told her tonight might not work because the kids wanted to go over their audition pieces again."

"We can't avoid them forever, Jack."

"I'm serious. I know Jesse was talking about it, and I think I heard a similar comment from Dominic."

"Maybe tomorrow night. Jesse and Dominic both have auditions tomorrow, and the whole point of so many people being here is for support. I want to be around if they need either of us."

"I told them about Rachel."

"What about her?"

"That she's your daughter and I already love her as if she were my own. She seemed interested in meeting her."

"I'm sorry for being defensive," Shelby said with a sigh.

Jack brushed his lips with hers before he spoke again.

"I understand. It's not exactly a typical situation and I'm sure there have been people who think it's weird or wrong, even though it's neither of those things. Atypical, sure, but not weird. Rachel is lucky enough to have three parents who love her unconditionally; some people don't even have one."

"Four. She has four parents who love her unconditionally. I've seen the way you two bonded, and I know she loves you already."

"When we were together the first time, this definitely wasn't the type of family I pictured us having someday, but now…I can't picture it any other way. It just wouldn't be the same without Hiram and Leroy."

Shelby smiled as she nodded in agreement.

"I know what you mean. I'm not sure I'd want to have the perfect little nuclear family like Sara and Nick have."

"It works for them…and our family works for us."

"That's true. I know your Mom will be disappointed about dinner, so maybe I should call her."

"You want to call my mother?" Jack questioned.

"She was always quite fond of me. Just like mine is of you."

"That's true. She'd probably be thrilled. Here, call her from my phone, so she won't suspect anything."

Shelby smiled and nodded, taking the phone from Jack once had dialed his mother's number.

* * *

The next morning, as they walked together onto Tisch's campus, Jesse held Rachel's hand tightly.

"Are you nervous?" Rachel asked softly.

"I don't get nervous," Jesse responded.

"It's okay to be nervous, Jess. This is a big deal."

"I'm extremely nervous. This could potentially make or break one of my dreams."

"You'll do wonderfully, I'm sure of it. You went through your audition piece with both my Mom and Jack last night. You're prepared, you'll wow them. You'll get accepted, and then I'll join you in a couple of years."

"You sound so sure of yourself," Jesse teased.

"I'm sure of what we can accomplish together. I know I can't be in the room with you, but I'll be waiting outside for you….and I'll wait with you as long as they let me."

Jesse squeezed her hand.

"Thanks."

Rachel smiled at him as she squeezed his hand in return.

"You're welcome. I just hope you'll do the same for me in a couple of years."

"Of course, I will."

"I'm counting on it."

"I'm really glad you're here, Rach," Jesse told her a few moments later.

"I'll always be here for you. You have your grandmother and sister now, too. Plus all of my parents already love you like you're their own son. We all want you to succeed. Remember that."

Jesse smiled and nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. What about you, though?"

"What about me?" Rachel asked, clearly confused.

"Do you still love me?"

"Yes, and I always will. You'll always love me, too."

"Is that so?"

Rachel grinned as she nodded.

"Yes. You find me irresistible."

"This is very true."

* * *

"This place is a lot bigger than I thought it would be," Holly commented as she and Dominic walked onto Columbia's campus, their parents not far behind them.

"Yeah," Dominic agreed.

"Dominic."

"Sorry, just nerves."

"I understand you're nervous, but you need to calm down. I thought I was the dramatic one in this relationship."

Dominic chuckled in spite of himself at his girlfriend's comment.

"You are, but I wouldn't have it any other way," he told her.

"That's better. My mom wants me to get some information on this place while we're here."

"I thought you were set on Juilliard?"

"Oh, I am, but she's insisting I have back-up options. Aunt Shelby thought it was a good idea, too, and then they ganged up on me. Somehow I have agreed to get more information on the dance program here, but not until  _after_  your audition. That was the only way I'd agree to it."

"I'm sure that was an interesting conversation."

"I think she planned it. She knew Aunt Shelby was close enough to hear us and knew she'd agree."

"I seem to recall a story that same person told me about you and your Dad doing the same thing to her."

"I had to get it from somewhere, I guess."

Dominic laughed as he nodded in agreement.

"My mom likes the ring, by the way," Holly revealed.

"I see you're wearing both your necklace and the ring today," Dominic commented.

"I always wear both now."

"I never expected you to like that necklace as much as you seem to. I wanted you to like it, but I didn't expect you to wear it all the time. Not that I'm complaining."

"I wasn't planning on it, either," Holly responded. "The first day I stopped over at your house, after that fight with your mom, and your step-mom recognized me immediately just because of the necklace….it was kind of nice. You obviously had no intention of hiding me from your family, and she immediately made me feel welcome."

"That's how Nell has always been. I couldn't ask for a better step-mother."

"Am I going to get to meet your actual mother someday?"

"Whenever she bothers to stop in town next, sure. I'm closer to Nell than I am to her, though."

"I understand, it's just….she's your mother. I'd like to meet her."

"She usually stops in Ohio sometime between Christmas and New Year's, so as soon as I know when she'll be here, we'll figure out a time for you to meet her."

"Thank you."

"She knows about you. I told her shortly after we got together. Her career is the most important thing in her life, though, so it could very well be a while before you two actually meet. As far as I'm concerned, Nell's approval means more, and you two already get along."

"I didn't mean to pressure you."

"You're not. I'd let you know if I felt that way."

"I know you're nervous about today…and I don't blame you," Holly said, changing the subject again.

"It helps that you're here," Dominic responded.

"I know this is your back-up choice, but you should do your best to impress them anyway."

"I intend to. I wouldn't mind going to school here, but Juilliard is my first choice."

"I love you, and I'm sure your audition will be a success."

"I love you, too."


	43. Chapter 43

"Holly, honey, sit down, please," Sara said to her currently-pacing daughter as they, along with Nick and Tony waited for Dominic to finish his audition.

"I'm too nervous to sit," Holly replied, earning chuckles of amusement from the two men at Sara's side.

"I think she's more nervous than Dominic was," Tony said to Nick.

"I have to agree," Nick responded.

"I'm  _right here_ , you know!" Holly shot back irritably.

"Holly," Sara tried again. "Dominic said it might be a while, there were a few people ahead of him, but he needs to wait in the greenroom with the others. Why don't we go get the information on the dancing and nursing programs now, to kill some time? Your dad and Tony will stay here, they'll call us if Dominic gets back before we do."

"Fine…but only if coffee is included."

"Deal," Sara responded before she began to walk with her daughter towards the coffee stand.

"If she's this nervous now, when she isn't even the one auditioning, what's she going to be like when it's  _her_ turn?" Tony asked Nick.

"She's actually surprisingly calm when it comes to her own auditions. She might freak out a little bit, but probably not like this. At least I hope not. Sara seems to have it under control, though."

"Things definitely won't be boring with her around."

"They're not," Nick assured him.

* * *

"I wonder how Holly is doing," Rachel commented to her mother as they, along with Jack, Hiram, Leroy, Genevieve, Joel, and Jacqueline waited for Jesse outside of Tisch's auditorium.

"Well, I haven't received any panicked phone calls from either Sara or Nick, so I'm going to assume everything is under control," Shelby answered. "Somehow I don't think Holly is nervous entirely for Dominic."

"I can pretty much guarantee that she's not. She has this crazy idea in her head that Dominic is going to leave her for some girl he meets here in New York."

"Didn't you have that same concern about Jesse?"

"I did, but we've talked about it…and we're in a really good place right now. I feel more confident than ever in our relationship. I'll miss him a lot, but living here…in New York…is his dream, too."

"Well, I'm happy you're being so mature about this."

"I was thinking…maybe after Christmas, when things calm down a little…you, me, Holly, and Aunt Sara could have a mother-daughter day. Go to the spa, get lunch or something, and maybe go shopping. I think it would be fun."

"I have to agree, and I think it would be good for Sara and Holly as well. We'll talk to them about it when we all get back to the hotel."

"Do you think Jesse will get in?" Rachel asked, changing the subject.

"If his audition goes well, I see no reason why he wouldn't. He's been involved in the arts since he was little, he's lived and breathed this lifestyle for a long time and he's put in a lot of hard work to get where he is today."

"I'm still keeping my fingers crossed."

Shelby smiled at her daughter before she hugged her close.

"I'm sure Jesse will do brilliantly, as will you in a couple of years when it's your turn."

"Well, I do have brilliance in my genes," Rachel said, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"You certainly do, sweetie," Hiram agreed.

* * *

"You didn't have to come with today, you know," Penelope said to the group of five teens who had accompanied her and Melina to the audition at Marymount Manhattan.

"Melina has been a good friend to all of us, we wanted to do the same for her…well, at least most of us," Tasha answered, earning an eye-roll from her younger brother, a glare from her older one, and giggles of amusement from her sisters.

"Well, I'm sure she appreciates it, as long as the intentions are good."

"Is this her first or second choice?" Tatiana asked.

"Her second. She and Dominic want to go to Juilliard together, but Tony and I told both kids we wanted them to have a back-up. She'd be thrilled to get into both. She likes this place, but she liked Juilliard more, as did Dominic."

"Mama wants me to apply to Juilliard," Tasha revealed.

"Do  _you_  want to apply there?" Marina asked.

Tasha shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I kind of like the atmosphere here, maybe I'll add it to my list of schools to get more information about. Mama's been on my case about college applications."

"She started asking Marina and me during our sophomore year, she must have eased up," Alec told her.

"That doesn't help."

Penelope smiled a little as she witnessed the banter between the siblings. The rest of her own children were at home with their grandparents and she missed them a lot, but being around the five McKenzie siblings made her feel a little bit more like she was at home.

* * *

Walking out of his audition, Jesse was pleasantly surprised to see all of the people he considered family were still waiting for him, except the one person he wanted to see the most.

"Holly called," Hiram explained, seeing the look on Jesse's face when he realized Rachel wasn't in the room any longer. "She was having a bit of a panic attack, and you know how close she and Rachel have gotten."

Jesse smiled a little as he nodded.

"I know, and I'm happy for them that they've sort of re-bonded."

"I'll go let her know you're back," Shelby told him, "and then you can tell all of us how it went."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Genevieve said with a laugh as she saw Rachel catch sight of Jesse and immediately run over to him and hug him.

"How did it go?" Rachel asked as she pulled back.

"Really well, I think. I hope. At least  _I_  feel it went well. They seemed impressed with the song choice," Jesse responded, sliding his arm around Rachel's waist as she moved to stand by his side.

"Of course they were impressed by Sondheim," Hiram said with a smile.

"Not just  _any_  Sondheim, either," Jack added. "It was his most difficult song-'Giants in the Sky'."

"Which I was terrified I would mess up," Jesse put in.

"With experts like Jack and Shelby helping you, how could you possibly go wrong," Leroy added as they all began to walk back towards the entrance of the school.

* * *

"Dominic," Holly breathed as she saw her boyfriend walk out the door to the greenroom.

"Holly," Dominic responded as he hugged her tightly.

"Do you think it went well?"

Dominic smiled a little as he nodded.

"Not as well as I would have liked, but well enough."

Holly studied her boyfriend carefully before she spoke again.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "I didn't stress you out, did I?"

"You being here actually helped me nerves," Dominic told her. "I just messed up a step and it kind of threw me off. I recovered, and they didn't seem to notice…or if they did, they didn't let on that they did, but  _I_  noticed."

"I'm sure you impressed them. You'll impress the people at Juilliard, too. I know you will."

"At least I have a couple of days before that audition. I just wish there was someplace I could go to rehearse, like a dance hall or something. I'm not sure how available those are in New York, though."

"Maybe Alec knows of one at Juilliard. I'm sure there are students there who stay over the holidays. Plus, being Melina's brother could be used to your advantage as well."

Dominic laughed as he and Holly walked over to the rest of their group.

"You're horrible," he told her as she laughed in response.

"Nope, I just know how to use things to my advantage. Plus, I'm sure my Aunt Shelby knows someone at Juilliard. She seems to know someone everywhere."

"Maybe. We'll talk to her when we all get back."

* * *

"Mom."

Penelope turned at the sound of her daughter's voice. With a smile on her face, she walked over to her and hugged her.

"How do you think it went?" she asked as they joined the others who had been waiting for Melina.

"I don't know. Either way, it was nerve wracking and I'd like to try to  _not_  think about my next audition for at least a little while. I'd like to know how Jesse's and Dominic's auditions went, too."

"Then let's get moving back to the hotel," Tasha suggested.

"I wouldn't worry too much," Marina added. "Mama said you danced beautifully…and it takes a lot for her to compliment someone's dancing. She's very particular."

"You don't need to remind us," Tatiana told her oldest sister, earning chuckles of amusement from the rest of the group in return.

"I'm really grateful she was willing to watch me dance and give me pointers," Melina told them.

"Mama was thrilled someone actually  _wanted_  her opinion," Tasha said.

"You should relax tonight," Penelope told her daughter. "We'll order in and just take it easy."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

"Did Holly say why Dominic didn't seem very happy with how his audition went?" Jesse asked his girlfriend as he studied the movie choices they had brought with them to New York.

"Not really, she just said it didn't go as well as he would have liked and that he was glad it wasn't his Juilliard audition. It's not like Barnard College isn't difficult to get into, any performing arts program is. They're all highly competitive."

"It wasn't his first choice, and I think it will help him to have gone through this one first. I told him we'd help any way we could."

"Well, when you, Dominic, and Melina audition for Juilliard, we'll all be there. Maybe that will help. I'm sure he was grateful for the offer, even if he doesn't take us up on it."

"He said he was and he said he'd think about it. He'll let us know if he wants our help. I think Holly had more distraction than rehearsal in mind tonight, though."

"I really don't want to think about that, thank you very much."

Jesse chuckled as he handed Rachel his movie choice.

"Hello, Dolly! Good choice," Rachel told him, opting to change the subject and earning more laughter from her boyfriend.

"Are we waiting for anyone else?" Jesse asked her as he put the movie in.

"No. Jack said he was going to take all of the parents, or grandparent and sibling in your case, over to see the apartment tonight. My Mom said she'd let us know when they're back and that she has her phone on her if we need anything in the meantime."

"That sounds like Shelby," Jesse said before changing the subject slightly. "I really am glad you're here, Rach. It means a lot to have so many people here to support me."

"I'll always support you, in any way I can. I love you."

"I love you, too….and you know I'll always support you, too," Jesse responded, leaning down to brush his lips with Rachel's.

"Now that that's settled, can we watch our movie? I want to cuddle and watch Barbra with you."

Jesse chuckled as he nodded and then started the movie before climbing into bed beside his girlfriend and opening his arms to her. With a smile on her face, Rachel readily moved into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him as he wrapped his around her. After pressing another kiss to the top of Rachel's head, Jesse turned his attention to the movie, knowing full well the girl in his arms would want to discuss it later…even if she had already seen it more times than he could count.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Jack asked the large group that had assembled in his former home.

"Are you sure the kids would be okay here?" Penelope asked Jack as she continued to walk around the place.

"Positive. They're all already either friends or siblings, too, so they have that working in their favor as well."

"He has a point," Jacqueline conceded.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around you being willing to just let the kids live here rent free," Tony said to Jack.

"It's not like they're living completely free. They're responsibly for the utilities and any other amenities they want to add, like cable and/or internet, plus their food. I just figured that since I had a place large enough for the three of them and in a nice neighborhood, that I would offer it to them," Jack told him.

"It's also close to all of the schools, so no matter who decides to go where, no one will be too far from their respective campus," Shelby added.

"Have anyone who actually might live here seen this place yet?" Genevieve wondered.

"No, we didn't want to get their hopes up."

"I think we should let them see it. I like it, but I want Jesse's opinion before I make a final decision," Jacqueline said a few minutes later.

"We'll bring the kids tomorrow and then we'll have a big dinner and discuss everything. Does that sound like an okay plan to everyone?" Jack suggested.

The various loved ones around the room nodded in agreement, making Shelby and Jack smile.

"Sounds like a plan, then," Jack said, squeezing Shelby's hand.

* * *

"Is that the information you got from Columbia?" Dominic wondered as he saw Holly sitting on their bed with a bunch of papers spread out in front of her.

Holly simply nodded, but didn't elaborate at all.

"Holl. Talk to me. What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Don't get me wrong, I  _love_  dancing, but I don't know if I'm cut out to study it. I think I could also be a really great nurse. Even though we haven't always gotten along, I've kind of always looked up to my mom. I don't know if I want to be a nurse practitioner like her, but maybe at least an RN. Plus, I speak another language, so that should work to my advantage."

"It's your life, it's your choice."

"I thought it was  _our_  life."

Dominic smiled at her before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"It is, but  _our_  life is your life and my life combined. I'm not going to love you any less if you choose Nursing over Dance, or vice versa. You have to do what will make  _you_  happy in the long-run. Even if you don't go for nursing right away, it's not like this is only time it's going to be an option."

"I know, I just…don't know. It scares me."

"Why don't you try talking to Shelby and your mom? Maybe you could shadow your mom, and maybe Shelby or Jack knows someone who would let you shadow them. See what it's really like."

"You always have such good ideas. What am I going to do when you're not around to read my mind?"

"I'll just read it from over the phone or across the computer screen. Then when you come to visit, I'll read it in person."

"Are you sure you'll be able to read my mind, even when I'm all the way in Ohio?"

"Positive. You aren't the only one who's nervous about us being apart, you know."

"I had a feeling," Holly confessed. "I just didn't want to say anything; I didn't want to make you even more nervous for your audition. I know how much getting into either school would mean to you. I know why  _I'm_  scared, but why are  _you_ scared?"

"What if  _you're_  the one to find someone else?" Dominic questioned.

"There's never going to be anyone else. Ever since we met, it's only been you, Dominic."

"You say that now. What about in a few months, when I'm not around all the time anymore?"

"It'll still only ever be you. Now that I found you, I'm not letting you go. You're stuck with me and all of my drama."

Dominic smiled in spite of himself at Holly's words.

"I suppose I could live with that. Someone has to make my dull life interesting, right?"

Holly smiled and nodded as Dominic moved to sit beside her on the bed.

"Someone has to keep you on your toes, too," she reminded him with a grin.

"Very true," Dominic told her before leaning down to capture her lips with his.

* * *

"Why are you still giving me the cold shoulder?" Marina asked as Tasha continued to avoid her.

"What you said really hurt. I already know the boys don't look at me the way they do at you and Tatiana. We all can't have a gorgeous guy friend who wants to be more than friends with us," Tasha responded.

"You'll meet someone of your own…and you're gorgeous in your own right. You inherited Mama's blue eyes and Dad's natural tan. Just because the boys in high school are too dense to see what's right in front of them doesn't mean you aren't pretty."

"You're just being nice so I'll forgive you."

"No, I actually do mean what I'm telling you. I know I've said some mean things, and I have a tendency to speak before I think my thoughts through, but I'm working on it. I know that it sucks being the odd one out sometimes, but it could work in your favor."

"If I tell you that I forgive you, will you leave me alone?"

"Why do you want to be alone so much lately?"

"I happen to enjoy having time to myself. I'm not a social butterfly like you."

"No one said you had to be. I'm your big sister, Tasha, I worry about you. I want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine, I just would like some time to myself."

"All right, well, I have my phone if you need anything. I think I'll go check on our younger siblings, make sure they're staying out of trouble."

"Thank you."

* * *

"Melina."

At the sound of her name, Melina turned to see that Alec was standing behind her.

"Hi," she said, unsure what else to say.

"How about a walk?"

"Um, sure."

"How are you liking New York?" Alec asked once they had started to walk.

"I've been here before, I've always liked it. I'm sure I'll enjoy living here. Granted I get into one of the schools I audition for, that is."

"I'm sure you will. You're a very talented dancer."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Is there a specific reason you wanted to walk with me?" Melina wondered, not sure she was going to like where she had a feeling this conversation was headed.

"I know we haven't spent a lot of time together, and we basically just met, but I really like you, Melina. More than I've liked someone in a long time…."

"Alec, please don't."

"Please don't…what?"

"Don't…ask me out. I'm not ready for a relationship. I'm still trying to get my life back on track after being uprooted in the middle of my senior year. I need to concentrate on getting into college and getting to New York….and I really don't want to do the long-distance thing. I'm sorry."

When Alec didn't say anything else, Melina spoke again.

"I really like you, too, and you seem like a great guy….I just…can't right now. Once I'm settled here in New York, then I'd be willing to give something a shot. I'm not going to ask you to wait for me, we hardly know each other, and that wouldn't be fair. I'd like to continue to get to know you, but I can't offer anything more than friendship right now."

"I understand," Alec said a few moments later. "I'll see you around, I guess."

"I'm sorry," Melina tried again.

"You have nothing to apologize for. Good luck with your audition to Juilliard, I hope to see you on campus in the fall," Alec told her before he turned and walked in the opposite direction.

"Why must boys always complicate things?" Melina asked herself as she walked back into the hotel and up to her room.

* * *

"I've decided which song I'm going to sing at my auditions in a couple of years," Rachel told her boyfriend as they walked downstairs to breakfast together.

"'Don't Rain on My Parade'?" Jesse guessed with a grin for his girlfriend.

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Correct. Although, maybe I should choose a different one…since I essentially auditioned for Vocal Adrenaline with that one."

"You sort of did, I guess, but I don't think that means you can't use it to audition for college. You said yourself that you've improved since joining Vocal Adrenaline, and I'm sure you'll continue to do so over the next couple of years. By the time  _your_  auditions come around, I have every confidence that you will perform it even better than you have before."

"What if I choke? I've heard about it happening."

"You won't. You're Rachel Berry. You'll be the most prepared out of anyone there. I also promise to help in any way that I can."

"Really?"

"Of course. What kind of boyfriend, person for that matter, would I be if you helped me prepare for something, but I couldn't do the same for you?"

"It  _would_  be very out of character for you to do something like that."

"Exactly," Jesse told her with a smile. "Come on, I see your parents."

Rachel smiled in return as she followed her boyfriend towards the table where their family sat, wondering what else Jesse had in store for them today.


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except my OCs...and the wii currently collecting dust in my living room...

* * *

"You're late,  _tourtereaux_ ," Holly said as Rachel and Jesse took seats next to her.

"We are not," Rachel replied with a laugh, "but you're speaking French, so you must be in a good mood."

"I have no reason not to be. There are no auditions today," Holly responded, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"Jack said there are some studios in Mid-Town that would be pretty cheap to rent for a couple of hours, so Melina and I are planning on checking that out later, though," Dominic added.

"I'm sure a little extra practice couldn't hurt, especially since this is your first choice," Rachel told him with an encouraging smile.

"Even if it wasn't, I'd still want to be as prepared as I could be."

"Well, you should start with eating something," Penelope said as she and Tony joined the small group already gathered at the table.

"I will, we're just waiting for everyone before we order," Dominic told her.

"Where's Melina?" Holly wondered.

"She's ordering room service, she isn't feeling like company right now," Penelope answered.

"No Alec, either," Rachel commented as she saw Oliver, Talia, and their family walk in.

"Well, he technically isn't staying here. He has an apartment near Juilliard," Holly told her.

"He's been here the last few days," Jesse pointed out.

"I'll ask Marina later. I'm sure she'll know."

"What will she know?" Sara asked as she and the remaining members of the group that had traveled to New York took their seats at the table.

"Where Alec is," Holly responded.

Sara nodded in understanding before beginning to look at the menu in front of her.

* * *

"Why does Alec suddenly want nothing to do with this place?" Marina asked her sister as they sat in their room, trying to figure out what they wanted to do today.

"Melina turned him down," Tasha revealed.

"Why? I thought the like was mutual?"

"I'm pretty sure it is, but from what I know about Melina, I don't think she feels she's ready for a relationship, especially a long-distance one, right now…and I don't blame her."

"Why not?"

"Basically, her parents split up when she was little, and she's been living with her dad ever since he moved far enough away that she had to make a choice. A few months into the school year, he sends her to visit her mom, and then tells her she can't come home."

"That's horrible."

"She seems to like it better here, but I'm sure it still hurt. She's been really focused on her auditions and getting things set for New York. She told Alec they could be friends, but nothing more…not until she got settled here, anyway."

"Wow…that takes guts, especially when you like a guy as much as I think she likes Alec."

Tasha nodded in agreement.

"On the one hand, I feel bad for Alec, but Melina is my friend, so I'm proud of her as well."

"That's understandable," Marina assured her. "I'm sure Melina knows that, too. Though a reassurance of friendship, despite her relationship status, or lack thereof, with our brother probably wouldn't be a bad idea."

"I tried texting her, since her mom told us she doesn't want company, but haven't gotten an answer yet."

"Hmm. Maybe she'll show up later."

"Maybe."

* * *

"You know, no matter whom you are, sooner or later you're going to get dizzy from spinning so much."

Melina stopped and turned to face the owner of the voice-the boy she never thought she'd see again.

"Alec," she said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Being a friend," he replied with a small shrug. "Friends help and support each other, right? Especially when they've been in the same situation you're in now."

"Right. Well, I've been working on this turn combination….I feel like something's off, but I can't pinpoint what. I've even tried recording myself and watching it back."

"Well, why don't you just start from the beginning? Maybe it's just in the wrong place and nothing's wrong with the actual combination," Alec suggested.

"Okay," Melina agreed, picking up the remote to the stereo system and pressing the play button.

* * *

From the doorway across the hall, Holly stood with a smile on her face as she watched the exchange between her friends, unaware that her boyfriend had stopped dancing.

"Are you trying to get them together, even after what Melina told you?" Dominic asked her as he walked over to her.

"Would I like to see them together romantically? Eventually, when they're both ready. Melina was nervous, Alec went through this not that long ago. I talked some sense into him, that's all."

"Marina went through it, too."

" _Personne ne vous a demandé_."

Dominic chuckled as he bent to press a kiss to Holly's cheek.

"I've kind of missed the random French, I'm glad you're feeling better," he told her before closing the door and pulling her further into the room with him.

"I'm sorry," Holly began. "I just didn't want to make you even more nervous…"

Dominic cut her off with a shake of his head.

"I understand, Holl. I'm just happy you're here, supporting me."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I know you still think you're selfish most of the time, but that's not true. You could have chosen to stay back in Ohio and wallow, but instead you chose to come to New York to support me. It means a lot."

Holly smiled up at her boyfriend before she spoke again.

"I guess it's a good thing I decided to give you a chance to prove you weren't really a jerk, then," she told him with a grin.

Dominic laughed as he hugged her tightly.

"I guess so," he agreed.

* * *

"So, did you get your mother-daughter day figured out?" Jesse asked as Rachel re-entered their room after lunch with her mother.

"For the most part. We still have to run the idea by Holly, but Aunt Sara said she doesn't think there will be any objection to what we have planned. My Mom said she'd set everything up when we get back to Ohio. We came up with a few dates that could work, so I think that will help."

"You sound excited about it."

Rachel smiled as she took a seat on the couch next to her boyfriend.

"I am. Everything has been so crazy these last few months; I'm ready for a little break. I know my Mom wants to start rehearsals again sooner rather than later, but I think everyone could benefit from a little break. I convinced her to hold off re-starting rehearsals until the first day back at school."

Jesse didn't bother to hide his surprise at his girlfriend's latest revelation.

"How did you do that? I've been trying for  _years_ , tried everything I could think of, but she wouldn't relent."

"How easily you forget," Rachel told him with a laugh. "I'm her daughter. I also talked to Jack about it beforehand and got him on board with it. We double-teamed her. My dads were also conveniently in the room at the time."

Jesse grinned at her as he shook his head.

"Very sneaky. I approve."

"I'm so glad it meets with your approval, especially since you're my fellow lead and I didn't consult you," Rachel said playfully as she returned Jesse's grin.

"I suppose I could forgive you this time. Just don't let it happen again."

"I could make it up to you."

Jesse raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend in silent question. In answer, Rachel leaned over to kiss him as she slid her hand into his curls to keep him close.

* * *

Tabitha had just finished putting the last dish from dinner in the dishwasher when she heard her cell phone ring. Glancing at the caller ID, she saw it was her older daughter calling, most likely to check on Liam.

"Hello, Darling," Tabitha greeted with a smile in her voice.

"Hi, Mom. How's Liam?"

"He's wonderful. He and your father are currently playing some golf game on that video game system of yours. The fun or something, was it?"

Sara did her best not to laugh before answering her mother.

"I think you mean the Wii, Mom."

"Right. That's it. I just hope they don't break anything. They seemed quite into it when I checked on them just a little bit ago."

"I'm sure they'll be fine. I just wanted to call and see how everything was going."

"Everything is fine, darling. Stop worrying so much," Tabitha assured her.

"You know me, Mom; I'm going to worry anyway. I trust you and Dad, but I still worry."

"I know, darling. I'll tell Liam you called and you send your love. How are my other grandchildren?"

"Holly, Dominic, and Melina went to some dance studios in Mid-Town; they'll probably be back around dinner-time. As for Rachel and Jesse, I'm not really sure. You'll have to ask Shelby about them. I'm sure they're together, though, wherever they are."

"How did the auditions go?"

"Jesse seemed pleased with how the one for Tisch went, Dominic not so much for his audition for Barnard College. The Juilliard auditions are tomorrow."

"What about Dominic's sister…Melina, is it?"

"Yes, her name is Melina. From what Shelby and Talia have said, they seem to have gone well. She didn't seem like she wasn't happy with it. I think both she and Dominic are more worried about their auditions tomorrow."

"I'm sure they'll all do wonderfully. They're all so talented; it would be foolish of those schools not to accept all of them."

"I agree, but it's not up to us. I'll tell them you wish them luck, though."

"Good. You can also tell my granddaughters that I look forward to seeing their promise rings in person when they get home."

"How do you know about the promise rings?" Sara wondered.

"Rachel's childhood friend…Puck, I think it is, and his girlfriend, the Latina girl whose name I keep forgetting, stopped by yesterday. Liam and Puck kept referring to her as Satan, but I don't think that's her real name."

This time Sara didn't bother holding back her laughter.

"No, it's not. Her name is Santana. I forget how she got the name Satan, you'll have to ask Rachel on that one, but she seems to enjoy it."

"Strange nickname if you ask me. Lovely girl, though."

"Well, I'm glad Liam is staying out of trouble. Nick sends his love, too. I'll call you tomorrow night."

"Okay. Take care, my darling. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom."

* * *

Just as she hung up with her mother, Sara spotted her sister walking into the room.

"How are things at your house?" Shelby asked as she approached.

"They seem to be going well. Liam introduced Dad to Wii Golf, and it sounds like they're having fun together."

"I can see Dad having fun with that," Shelby admitted with a laugh.

"Yeah, me, too. It would definitely be interesting to see," Sara agreed before she noticed the uncertain look on her sister's face. "Are you okay?"

"I've been thinking about asking Jack to officially move in. He's at my place more often than not nowadays, but I wanted to run the idea by someone who  _isn't_  currently living in my house before I decided anything. You always tell me the truth, even when I don't want to hear it, so I thought you would be the best person for the job."

"From what I can tell, Jack gets along with everyone, so I don't see why it would be a problem. You said yourself that he's at your house more often than not now, and you know as well as I do that if anyone had a problem with Jack being around, they would have let you know."

"But what if they didn't because it's my house and not theirs?"

"They don't. You've made it clear that the house isn't just  _your_  home anymore. The house is now home to not only you, but also to Rachel, Jesse, Hiram, and Leroy. Besides, it's not like you would just be springing some new guy on them. They've had time to get to know him."

"Do you think I should talk to Rachel and Jesse first, or Hiram and Leroy?"

"Rachel and Jesse. You know Hiram and Leroy will mostly be concerned with how those two feel about it, especially Rachel. If the kids are okay with it, then I don't see Hiram or Leroy objecting. They both seem to like him."

"That's a good point."

"I think Rachel and Jesse are still around the hotel somewhere, so you could go talk to them now if it would make you feel better," Sara suggested.

"I think I will. Thanks for listening," Shelby said with a small smile.

"Anytime."

* * *

"Rach, we need to get going or we're going to be late," Jesse said as he walked into the bedroom of the suite he shared with his girlfriend.

"I know; I'm just not sure I have proper ice skating attire with me."

"Have you tried calling Kurt?"

"He's going on a date with Blaine tonight. I'm sure he's already going over his own wardrobe. I didn't want to bother him."

"I highly doubt he'll mind. You're his best friend."

When Rachel didn't say anything and just continued to move the clothes she had placed on the bed around, Jesse picked up her phone and called Kurt himself.

"Hello?" Jesse heard Kurt answer a few seconds later. "Rachel?"

"Hey Kurt, it's Jesse. I'm using Rach's phone. She needs your assistance."

"Is everything okay?"

"We're going ice skating in Central Park with Holly and Dominic. She isn't sure what to wear."

"Ah, fashion-related assistance. That I can most definitely help with. Put her on the phone."

"You called Kurt?" Rachel asked when she realized who Jesse was talking to.

"I love you. I'll meet you in the living room when you're ready," Jesse responded, pressing a kiss to her cheek before handing her the phone and then walking out of the room.

"Kurt?"

"Why did Jesse call me for you?" Kurt wondered.

"I didn't want to bother you. I know you have your date with Blaine tonight."

"Speaking of that, since I have you on the phone, I was wondering if you would be willing to give me a second opinion on the outfit I picked out."

"Sure," Rachel agreed with a smile in her voice.

"So, what potential outfits have you come up with so far?"

* * *

"Hey, workaholics," Holly greeted as she and Dominic walked into the room at the dance studio that Alec and Melina were currently occupying.

"I am  _not_  a workaholic," Melina returned with a laugh.

"Fine, danceaholic. Whatever," Holly retorted with a wave of her hand. "We're going ice skating with the  _tourtereaux,_ you should join us."

"I…" Melina started, looking between Alec and Holly as she attempted to form an answer.

"We've been here most of the day, Lina," Dominic told her. "You should relax a little. You don't even have to skate, if you're worried about hurting yourself before your audition tomorrow. You can stand on the sidelines and make fun of me when I fall on my ass…because you know as well as I do that it's going to happen."

"You act like you've never ice skated before," Holly put in.

"It's been years."

Holly shrugged before she spoke again.

"It had been years since I'd danced the way I have been these last few months. I picked it back up quickly. Why would it be any different with you and ice skating?"

"Are they really going to argue about this?" Alec whispered to Melina as he watched Holly and Dominic's exchange.

"This is just her way of getting Dominic to give her what she wants. He falls for it every time. I don't think he's figured it out yet."

"Or he loves her, so he doesn't care and planned on giving her what she wants anyway. He's just letting her think it was her idea."

"You know, that's probably true," Melina agreed with a small laugh.

"I think you should go. It sounds like fun, and you should relax a little before tomorrow. It'll be good for you."

"I don't really want to be the fifth wheel. I love my brother and my friends, but I hate feeling like the odd one out."

"Tasha was talking about going ice skating earlier, so I'd guess she'll be there, too. You won't be the odd one out."

"Right. Thanks again for the help, I'll…see you around, I guess," Melina said before she walked over to where Dominic and Holly were standing.

* * *

"Why do you look so unhappy?" Tasha asked her friend as they sat together just outside of Central Park's ice skating rink.

"I'm…conflicted," Melina answered as she stared off into the distance.

"I get the feeling my older brother has something to do with it."

"That's correct."

"You like him, don't you?"

"I haven't been able to forget him since we met."

"So what's stopping you from being with him? Aside from the fact that he hasn't asked you out yet."

"He tried," Melina confessed softly.

"He tried…what, exactly?"

"Asking me out. I told him no before he could get the words out."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not ready for a relationship. I know I'm not. That doesn't stop me from liking him, though."

"He's a good guy, Mel. He won't hurt you. He'll probably do some stupid boy things that upset you, but he won't purposely hurt you."

"I know he is….but I can't be anyone's girlfriend right now. I need to get out of Ohio, get  _here_. It's too important. I'm still adjusting to life with my mom and Tony, and at Carmel, with Vocal Adrenaline. My life has had so many changes lately…it's kind of a lot to handle."

"Have you told Alec any of this?"

"Not in so many words. I've explained that things aren't so great with my dad and that I was basically uprooted in the middle of my senior year. I told him I would be open to trying something once I moved here, and that I would be his friend, but I couldn't go out with him."

"I just want you both to be happy, and with someone who genuinely cares about you. I could see you two working out as a couple."

"I can, too, but I know I would regret it later if I gave in now."

"I sense another 'but' in there somewhere."

Melina laughed humorlessly before she continued.

"There is. I like him…and that like only increases as I spend time with him, get to know him. I told him not to wait for me, and that I wouldn't ask him to. Being his friend…it's kind torture sometimes."

"You have to do what's right for you, Mel. As far as I know, Alec isn't interested in anyone else. He also just got out of a relationship not too long ago, so it's probably best that he's on his own for a little while, too."

"Marina makes her sound like a bitchy royal pain in the ass."

Tasha laughed as she nodded.

"She was. I'm sure she still is. She acted like a spoiled brat 99% of the time."

"What about the other 1%?"

"She just acted plain manipulative. She was actually quite good at it. Most people didn't know she was doing it."

"What do you mean?"

"She…acted like she was just this dumb small-town girl who didn't know what she was doing. A lot of people fell for it. I saw right through it. Alec and I got into many fights because of it. Marina and I did, too, until she met the girl and saw it for herself."

"Marina mentioned something about her not liking Alec spending time with anyone but her."

"There was that, too. She really only liked Alec for his looks. She thought it was weird that he was a dancer and that he liked spending time with his family. She hated Marina the most."

"Why?"

"She felt Marina was invading on her time alone with Alec. She felt that whenever he was in New York, that he was hers exclusively."

"I'm guessing she didn't feel that she had to be exclusively Alec's when she was in town."

"You're right. She didn't. She did whatever the hell she wanted and Alec always had to be at her beck and call."

"Why did they break up?" Melina wondered.

"Alec finally opened his eyes and got tired of being manipulated. Don't tell him I told you this, but he lost out on a part in a performance at Juilliard because he didn't have time to adequately prepare. His girlfriend decided she was more important. After that, he got really mad at himself. He went to visit Marina, turned his phone off. When he came back, he broke up with her. He's been single ever since, and he seems a lot happier now."

"Thank you for telling me…and I promise I won't say anything to him."

"For what it's worth…I think you two could be good for each other…and I hope you get a chance to be together someday."

Melina grinned at her friend as she spoke.

"I hope so, too. Who knows, maybe we'll even be sisters someday."

"Now there's an idea I could get used to," Tasha agreed, returning her friend's grin.

* * *

Next chapter = Juilliard auditions/going back to Ohio.

**translations:**

tourtereaux = love birds

Personne ne vous a demandé = nobody asked you


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N:** As promised, the Juilliard auditions and return to Ohio. Since the story will be based back in Ohio, I'm sure a few characters that have been missing from the last few chapters will make their appearances again :) Hope you enjoy and please review.

Also, I added a link (with spaces) in my profile to a post on my tumblr that includes all of the costumes and family trees, etc. related to any of my stories. There is now a family tree for the McKenzie family included as well.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee. I also speak zero Russian, so if I used the wrong word, I'm sorry...blame Google Translate.

* * *

"So, do you want to explain to me why you aren't in Central Park with everyone else, especially considering the girl I know you like is there?" Marina demanded as her brother opened the door to his apartment.

"Hello to you, too, Marina," Alec responded as he walked further into the apartment. "She turned me down, remember? She doesn't want a relationship right now."

"Okay, so neither of you are ready for a romantic relationship right now, but that doesn't mean you can't still get to know her. According to Holly, you two seemed okay this afternoon."

"I was helping her with her audition piece."

"You were being her  _friend_ , Alec."

"I can only do that for so long in a day. I know that my last relationship ended not all that long ago, but I never thought I'd actually see Melina again. You can't tell me it wasn't torture for you being Edmund's friend when you clearly wanted more."

Marina rolled her eyes at her twin before she spoke again.

"Yes, at times, it was torture, but I don't regret being his friend first. He knew everything about me, even the embarrassing things, before I became his girlfriend. I don't have to worry about him finding out about them and dumping me because he's suddenly repulsed or something. Give the poor girl time to adjust to having a support system."

"Does this have something to do with her, as she put it, being uprooted in the middle of her senior year?" Alec wondered.

"Why don't you ask Melina instead of me?" Marina returned.

"Because I doubt she'd tell me."

"It doesn't hurt to try. You never know. Stop being such a boy."

"What else am I supposed to be?" Alec questioned.

"Be a man! Go talk to her! Get to know her before someone else steals her from you!"

"Someone else is interested in her?"

"I don't know, but they could be!"

"Mari, I know you mean well, but…"

"You're not getting out of this," Marina told her twin as she grabbed his coat. "We're going to Central Park and we're going to have  _fun_. You're going to get to know Melina some more and I'm going to ice skate."

"Wasn't this Rachel and Jesse's idea? How do you know we were even invited?"

"It was an open invitation to all of us. Which you would have known if you had shown up to breakfast this morning. You never turn down free food. You two are more alike than you even know."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alec wondered as he put on his coat.

"You both skipped breakfast this morning, I'm guessing to avoid each other. Well, congratulations, mission accomplished. Melina is going to be around, she's friends with our younger siblings, and I'm quite fond of her myself, so you might as well at least be friends."

"Maybe I should call Edmund, tell him  _you_  need to be distracted before you start matchmaking all of us."

"You can stop trying to get out of this. We're going."

"You're awfully bossy."

"It's what sister's do."

"I'm not so sure about that."

Marina flashed him a smile as they walked out the door.

"You don't need to be, just go with it."

"That's the phrase that always got  _me_  in trouble when we were younger."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Alec laughed as he locked the door to his apartment and then pocketed his keys.

"I'm sure you don't."

* * *

"Did you have fun tonight?" Rachel asked Jesse as they settled into bed together later that night.

"I did. I always enjoy spending time with you, but it was nice to be able to get out of the hotel for something other than my auditions and to spend time with our friends, too."

"I told you relaxing would be good."

Jesse laughed as he tightened his arms around his girlfriend.

"So you did."

"I'm still surprised my Mom asked us about Jack moving in."

"Why? Did you expect her to ask him without considering how you might feel about it?"

"Well, no, not exactly, I just didn't realize I would be the deciding factor."

"You're lucky to have parents who love you, Rach. They value your input. Just like when your Dad asked me how I felt about him and your Daddy moving into your Mom's house, they want what's best for you."

"Well, he practically lives with us now, what did she really expect me to say, 'no'?"

"I'm not sure," Jesse answered with a small shrug, "but you know as well as I do that the first question your dads will ask Shelby when she brings it up to them, if she hasn't already, is how  _you_  feel about it. They let you move to Akron because attending Carmel and being in Vocal Adrenaline are going to benefit  _your_  future. They genuinely want to see you succeed in life, no matter what you choose to do."

"They all want you to succeed, too, you know."

Jesse smiled a little as he nodded in acknowledgement of his girlfriend's statement.

"I know, and it's nice to have that support."

"We're going to take Broadway by storm, remember?" Rachel told him with a smile as she tilted her face up for a kiss.

"I think we should rehearse that in our dreams tonight," Jesse responded once he and Rachel ended their kiss.

Rachel smiled as she settled her head on Jesse's shoulder.

"Sounds wonderful."

* * *

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked her cousin as they sat with the rest of their friends and family outside the auditorium at Juilliard.

"I want this to go well for Dominic. I know how much getting in here would mean to him," Holly answered.

"He seemed to be pretty confident and he told you not to worry."

"He also knows that I'm going to do it anyway. Besides, I'm not the one that seems the most worried."

Rachel looked across the lobby to where Marina and Alec were talking. Alec seemed tense and Marina seemed to be trying to get him to calm down.

"Why is he so nervous? He's already in."

"Have you been living in a cave with Jesse or something? Alec likes Melina. She told him she'd give him a chance when she got settled here. Thought I don't think it'll take that long, but still. She'll at least want to know she got into Juilliard and have concrete plans for New York before she goes out with him. They're both resisting admitting how they feel about the other, aside from like."

"Are you trying to be matchmaker now?" Rachel teased.

Holly smiled a little as she shrugged.

"Not really, I just think they'd complement each other really well. The way you and Jesse do, the way Dominic and I do. You get it, don't you?"

"I understand you want your friend, and future sister-in-law, to be happy, but you I'm going to tell you what Jesse always tells me when I try something like this. You have to let them get together on their own."

"I know, but focusing on them makes me focus on myself a lot less."

"Is this about Dominic moving to New York next year? I thought you two talked about this and you were good."

"We did, we are, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with it yet. I know this is part of his dream, and I want him to be able to accomplish it, but I also know I'm going to miss him so much. He's both my best friend and my boyfriend."

Rachel smiled as she nodded in understanding.

"I get it, trust me. That's how I feel about Jesse. He understands me better than anyone, even my parents. It was a little weird at first, but now…it's nice."

"I'm counting on you, you know. You better not go back to Lima."

"I'm staying at Carmel until graduation, and then I'm going to Tisch. I'm counting on you, too. I'm really glad we were able to get to know each other again."

"Me, too. Come on, cousin, I want coffee and Alec said there's a coffee shop here on campus that's open during auditions. I'm not the only one who could use a distraction right now."

"Coffee sounds good," Rachel agreed as she and Holly stood before walking over to where Marina and Alec were standing.

* * *

"Are you planning on applying to Juilliard, Rachel?" Marina asked as she, Alec, Holly, and Rachel walked back towards the auditorium after getting coffee.

"Yes. My first choice is Tisch, but Juilliard is a wonderful school as well. I'm a little surprised more of Vocal Adrenaline's members aren't here today, actually. I know there were a few others going to various schools over the break for auditions."

"Maybe they had auditions on another date? I think they've been holding them for a couple of days now….and not everyone even gets that far."

"That's true. My Mom did say they've been splitting the day between voice and dance auditions, but since Jesse, Dominic, and Melina all have their auditions today, it just kind of slipped my mind."

"It's understandable. Have you been enjoying New York?"

"I love it here. I always have. I've known since I was little that I wanted to be in New York, on Broadway. My parents spoiled me in the arts-they let me take as many dance and voice lessons as I wanted."

"My siblings and I were all put in dance class pretty much as soon as we could walk, but if any of us hadn't shown a genuine interest in it, our parents wouldn't have made us continue. We've all gotten frustrated with it, but at the end of the day, we still loved it."

"I've lost count of all of the times I've been frustrated with a dance or a song. I assume Boston feels like home to you the way New York does to me?"

Marina smiled as she nodded.

"Like I told Melina, Ohio will always hold a special place in my heart-it's where I grew up and I have a lot of fond memories of my childhood, but Boston is home. New York is kind of like my favorite vacation spot. I enjoy visiting the city and getting to see Alec, but it's nice to go home to Boston."

* * *

"You two didn't have to wait for me," Melina said as she saw Jesse and Dominic waiting for her after her audition.

"We wanted to. You waited for us, so we wanted to return the favor," Jesse explained.

"Well, thank you. How do you think yours went?"

"Not as well as my Tisch audition, but still pretty well overall."

"Dominic?"

"I feel a lot better about this one than my Barnard College one, but I'm not thrilled with it."

"I'm sure it was fine. Stop worrying so much. I'm sure your girlfriend is doing enough of that for all of us."

Dominic chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"That's very true. Did you decide on your living arrangement for next year yet?"

"You'll have to continue sharing space with me, big brother. I'll be living with you for at least my first year. I'll probably move into my own place or a place with some friends the following year, and then Blaine can have my spot in the apartment."

"You mean move in with Alec," Dominic teased.

"You don't have to give up your spot in the apartment just because Blaine wants to move to New York once he graduates," Jesse told Melina as they walked towards the lobby, effectively slightly changing the subject.

"We'll see how things go. I actually have to get into one of these schools first, but thank you."

* * *

"Jesse," Rachel said upon seeing Jesse, Dominic, and Melina walk into the lobby.

"Did you keep Holly calm?" Jesse asked as he hugged his girlfriend.

Rachel laughed a little as she pulled back to look up at Jesse.

"I tried; I'm not sure how successful I was, though. I think Alec did more of that than I did. I kind of got to talking with Marina."

"There's no harm in that."

"I know, but Holly is one of my best friends and she's also my cousin. I know how she was feeling."

"I'm pretty sure Alec did, too. Besides, they're friends, too, so it's not like you stuck her with a complete stranger."

"Did Dominic and Melina say how their auditions went?" Rachel wondered as she and Jesse made their way back towards their family.

"Dominic seemed happier with this one than the last one, and Melina didn't say much…but judging from what she  _didn't_  say, I'm going to guess it went well."

"I hope so. I know how much this meant to her."

"She also said she'd be living with Dominic and me next year, so long as we all get into a school here."

"I'm sure you will. You're all very talented."

"You'll get in, too, when it's your turn to apply and audition."

"I hope so."

"I  _know_  you will. I have no doubt. Besides, I'm always right, remember?"

Rachel laughed as she nodded, leaning up to press a kiss to Jesse's cheek.

"Of course," she agreed.

* * *

"I'm surprised Holly hasn't come running over yet," Melina whispered to her brother as they watched the girl in question talk with Alec.

"Give her a minute," Dominic responded.

"Do you have some kind of psychic connection or something?"

Before Dominic could answer, he saw Holly turn around. When she spotted him, she quickly walked over and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks for keeping her occupied," Dominic said to Alec once Holly had settled herself at his side.

"It was nice to be able to catch up. It's been a while since I've really had a chance to talk to her," Alec responded with a smile for his friend.

Holly returned his smile as she kept her arms firmly around her boyfriend.

"Thanks for the chat."

"Anytime," Alec told her before turning to the girl standing on the other side of Dominic. "How did your audition go?"

Melina let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding before answering.

"A lot better than the last one. Thank you again for helping me yesterday. I just hope transferring schools in middle of my senior year doesn't work against me."

"I doubt it will. I don't know how they decide who to admit or not, but it's not like you've jumped from school to school. You were at the same school until you transferred."

"Right."

"Don't be so nervous. I'm sure you'll get in," Alec told her, flashing her a reassuring smile.

Before anyone could say anything else, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we should get back to the hotel before it gets too late. Our flight in the morning leaves early, so I want to make sure everyone gets a good nights' rest," Shelby said as she approached the small group.

* * *

As Holly and Dominic followed Shelby towards the entrance to the auditorium, Melina turned back to the boy at her side.

"Are you staying in New York for the holidays or will you be in Ohio?"

"I'm on the same flight as you tomorrow," Alec responded. "I have a taxi set up in the morning to get to the airport. I'll be in Ohio until the new semester starts in January."

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"See you tomorrow," Alec responded before he watched Melina catch up to the rest of the group and walk out the door.

* * *

"Coffee,  _maintenant_ ," Holly said once everyone had settled at the airport gate to wait for their flight to be called.

"Hiram, Leroy, and Jack are already on it," Shelby assured her niece.

"The best uncles a girl could ask for," Holly responded, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

"Maybe I should send you to live with Shelby, then," Sara teased her daughter.

"I'll just go live with Dominic and his family. He'll get me coffee every morning. He loves me."

"Are you saying we don't?" Nick asked her.

"Sometimes I do wonder," Holly returned with a grin for her father, who just shook his head and laughed in response.

* * *

"Shouldn't Alec be here by now?" Marina asked her mother as Holly began to banter with Dominic.

"I'll call him and find out where he is," Talia told her as she took out her cell phone.

"About time you got here," Tasha told her brother as she spotted him making his way over to the large group.

"Taxi was late. Not my fault," Alec returned.

"Do you have everything you need?" Talia asked, standing up to walk over to her son.

"Yes, Mama. I promise I have everything I need."

"Good."

"Talia, sit down and leave him alone. He'll let us know if he needs anything," Oliver told his wife gently.

Talia smiled a little as she nodded and returned to her seat next to her husband.

"I see Holly got her coffee," Alec commented to Marina as he took a seat next to her.

"Yes, finally."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Don't worry about it."

"You know that answer doesn't work with me."

Marina sighed before she answered her twin.

"Edmund isn't coming to Ohio now. He doesn't have a place to stay, and Mama vetoed him staying with us."

"Why?"

"I don't know. You ask her. Maybe you can get her to give a different answer."

"All right," Alec agreed before moving to take a seat next to his mother.

* * *

"Mama."

At the sound of her older son's voice, Talia turned to look at him.

"Why did you say no to Edmund staying with us over the holidays? He and Marina really wanted to spend them with each other this year."

"We don't have room."

"He'd stay with Marina. They're dating and they live together, Mama. Why can't they stay in the same room at our house?"

"I didn't want you or your siblings to feel awkward with him around. This is your time to relax."

"We all like Edmund, we'll be fine. It's not the first time he's been to our house."

Talia sighed as she nodded her head.

"Fine, but if any of you are uncomfortable, I want you to tell me."

"Like I said, we'll be fine, but I promise to tell you if I feel uncomfortable, or if any of my siblings do."

"You should invite Melina to dinner on Christmas Eve."

"She's not my girlfriend, Mama."

"Why not? She's perfect for you."

"I'm glad you like her, but she doesn't want a romantic relationship right now…so we're just friends. Besides, she's friends with Tasha, Dmitry, and Tatiana, too. I don't want to get in the way of that."

"You deserve to be happy, and your brother and sisters love you. They'll understand. They already like her."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'll go tell Marina the good news, though," Alec said before moving to reclaim his previous seat next to his twin sister.

* * *

"I think Alec has the same persuasive powers as you do," Jesse whispered to his girlfriend as they observed the various exchanges between Alec, Marina, and Talia.

"It's just part of loving someone and wanting to give them what they genuinely want. I don't know what it was all about, but Marina seems happy with the result," Rachel answered.

"Is everything set for Christmas Day?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Jack will officially be moving in after the holidays. He seemed surprised, though I don't know why."

Jesse chuckled, pressing a kiss to Rachel's temple before he spoke.

"Probably because just a few months ago, Shelby wanted nothing to do with him. Now, Shelby asks him to move in and he's taking the next step in their relationship with her."

"That's true. It's kind of hard to imagine not having him around now. Is that weird?"

"Not at all," Jesse assured her. "That's how I felt about you at first. It was only a short while after we met that I realized I couldn't imagine my life without you in it anymore."

"Now you live with my family, so we get to spend even more time together."

"I'm certainly not complaining."

"I should hope not."

"I'll make all your hopes and dreams come true," Jesse promised.

Rachel turned her head to smile up at her boyfriend.

"We'll make each other's hopes and dreams come true. We share so many of them, it's bound to happen."

"It's an inevitability," Jesse agreed with a smile.

* * *

"I think Santana is onto something when she says some of these couples make her want to  _рвота_ ," Tasha said to Melina as they sat together waiting for the flight to be called.

"To…what?"

"Sorry. Being around Holly and Santana makes it more of a habit to speak two languages at once. Santana tells Rachel and Jesse, and I think she's even said it to Dominic and Holly, that they make her want to puke."

Melina laughed as she nodded in understanding.

"I think they're cute, but I can see her saying something like that."

"I'm sure you and my brother will cause her to say the same thing at some point."

"Assuming he asks me out again at some point down the road."

"Please. He likes you as much as you like him. If Marina wasn't being her usual dramatic self, he'd probably be over here talking to you right now."

"No matter how things turn out with Alec, I'm always going to be your friend, you know."

Tasha smiled at her friend.

"I know, but it's nice to hear."

Before either girl could say anything else, they heard their flight being called. Grabbing their carry-on bags, they quickly joined the rest of the group as they made their way towards the gate door.

"If you want to sit next to Alec, I'll keep Marina distracted," Tasha offered in a whisper.

"I thought you two weren't that close?" Melina asked.

"We've made progress. She's not that bad, I guess. For an older sister, anyway."

Melina laughed as she shook her head.

"It's up to you. I'm not sure he wants to sit next to me, anyway."

"Please. I'll make it happen. I've become a master at manipulating my older siblings without them knowing it."

"Okay….but I just want to go on record and say I had nothing to do with whatever grand scheme you've come up."

"Deal…only if we can go shopping after the holidays are over."

"That sounds like a fair deal," Melina agreed with a smile.

"Good," Tasha told her before walking up to her older sister and proceeding to start a conversation with her.

"Why do I get the feeling Tasha is up to something?" Alec asked as he began to walk beside Melina.

"Probably because she is. I think that's normal for her, though."

"Very true."

* * *

**Translations:**

_maintenant_  = now  
 _рвота_  = vomit


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N:**  Now that the characters have returned to Ohio, some old friends will be appearing :) Hope you all enjoy and please review! :)

I have added the link for Shelby's engagement ring to my master tumblr post for everything relating to my fanfiction stories (blk. tumblr. com [no spaces]) for those who want to see it.

 **Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee. Just my OCs.

* * *

The morning of Christmas Day, Rachel woke up with a feeling of nervous anticipation. Jack was going to propose to her mother today. She'd grown attached to him, too, and if her mother said no, he might leave and not move in like he'd planned. He might leave Vocal Adrenaline and Carmel, move back to New York.

"Rach, stop worrying," Jesse told her softly.

"I didn't know you were awake."

"I can tell that you're tense, and you're nervous. I really don't think you have anything to be nervous about. Jack needs as much as confidence as he can get today, I'm sure he's a wreck."

"Are you going to be a wreck when you propose to me, Mr. I Don't Get Nervous?"

Jesse laughed as he hugged her tightly.

"You never know. I suppose there  _are_  certain situations in which nerves are warranted."

"So you  _were_  nervous. I  _knew it_."

"As you said, it's Tisch and Juilliard. Two of the best performing arts schools in the nation. It's a huge deal to even get an audition."

"Speaking of those auditions, now that they're both over and you've had time to think about them some more, how do you think they went?"

"I'm sticking with my original opinion. Tisch went better than Juilliard, though neither was really  _bad_."

"Well I hope we hear sooner rather than later. I think I'm more nervous about you getting in than you are. I'm turning into my cousin."

Jesse laughed again before pressing a kiss to Rachel's cheek.

"I think it's cute. Since I don't think anyone else is awake yet, what do you say we surprise everyone with breakfast?"

Rachel glanced at the clock on her bedside table before turning back to her boyfriend.

"Daddy's usually the first one up and he usually sets his alarm, even on holidays, but I think we could accomplish that."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

* * *

"I think the kids woke up before you for once," Leroy teased his husband as they walked towards the kitchen later that morning.

"Somehow I'm not completely surprised. Making breakfast for us is something I know Rachel has wanted to do for a while. I'm certainly not going to complain about our teenage daughter and her boyfriend wanting to do something nice for us and spend time with us," Hiram agreed.

"Especially if it's your blueberry pancake recipe they're using."

"What about blueberry pancakes?" Shelby asked as she and Jack approached the two men.

"Our daughter has decided to spoil  _us_  for a change," Hiram told her.

"Whatever it is, it smells delicious…and I don't think pancakes are the only thing they made," Jack commented. "I smell coffee, too."

"Now there's something that  _doesn't_ surprise me," Leroy said with a chuckle.

* * *

"Morning Dad, Morning Daddy, Morning Mom, Morning Jack," Rachel greeted, walking over to hug each of her parents while Jesse kept an eye on the food.

"Morning sweetie, Jesse," Hiram replied, pressing a kiss to the top of his daughter's head. "What smells so good?"

"Blueberry pancakes and coffee. We also made scrambled eggs and orange juice," Jesse answered as he added to the pile of pancakes already on a plate near the stove and Rachel hugged Leroy.

"How long have you two been awake?" Shelby wondered as she returned her daughter's hug.

"About an hour I'd say," Rachel answered as she moved to hug Jack before returning to Jesse's side.

"It smells delicious and I'm hungry, so I'm with Hiram on this one-I'm certainly not going to complain," Jack said, earning a smile from each of the teens.

"The coffee and orange juice are already on the table, we'll bring the pancakes and eggs over. Sit," Rachel instructed.

"Maybe you should hire her as a server at your restaurant," Jack joked to Hiram.

"If she wasn't so busy with school and show choir, I probably would," Hiram responded with a laugh.

"I can help out over break if you need me to, Daddy," Rachel added as she and Jesse took their seats at the table.

"You should relax, sweetie, but I appreciate the offer."

"Mom and I already planned a mother-daughter day with Aunt Sara and Holly. I think I overheard Tasha talking with her sisters about having a girls' day with their mom, too. I wanted to talk to Grandma Corcoran about spending some time just the two of us as well. Plus, Jesse and I have a few musical nights to plan."

"Your Daddy's right, Rachel, you should relax over your break," Leroy told his daughter.

"I am relaxing, Dad, I promise. I just don't usually have a lot of time to do things with Mom, and especially Grandma and Grandpa. I don't know how much longer they'll be here and I want to spend time with them while I can."

"I guess I can't argue with that. We just don't want you to wear yourself out before you go back to school."

"I promise I won't, Dad."

* * *

Later that morning, after breakfast had been cleaned up and everyone had gotten ready for the day, everyone met up in the living room.

"Are we waiting for Grandma and Grandpa?" Rachel wondered as she and Jesse took seats on the couch.

"They should be here any minute," Shelby answered as she and Jack took seats on the other end of the couch.

Before anyone could say anything else, they heard the doorbell ring.

"You stay seated, I'll get it," Hiram told the four members of the group who were currently sitting on the couch.

"You seem excited," Jesse commented as he glanced at his girlfriend.

"I am. We don't usually celebrate Christmas, since my Daddy and I are Jewish, my Dad is Muslim, and I'm not usually with my Mom for the holidays. I mean I'd call her and wish her 'Merry Christmas', but it obviously isn't the same."

"I thought you and your dads celebrated the holiday as more of a special family day."

"We did, but it's still not the same. We usually don't open presents or anything like that. I'm just happy to be able to be with more of my family this year. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with just my dads, but…"

"You don't have to apologize or feel bad for wanting to spend time with family members you didn't get to see much until this year. There's nothing wrong with it. I never really thought much of Christmas myself. I'd usually go over to Blaine's and my aunt would make dinner, but having Gen and my grandma here this year…it's definitely a change, but it's a good one."

Rachel smiled at her boyfriend before leaning over and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"I love you, and I love that you understand me so well."

"I love you and that you understand me so well, too."

"Merry Christmas and a belated Happy Hanukkah, Darlings," Tabitha said as she approached the two teens, bending to hug each of them.

"Merry Christmas, Grandma," Rachel returned with a smile.

"Since we have a couple of minutes, I'd love to see that promise ring of yours. I made Holly show me hers last night."

Rachel giggled as she held out her right hand.

"You have very nice taste in jewelry, young man," Tabitha said to Jesse once she had thoroughly admired the ring.

"Thanks…I think," Jesse responded a bit hesitantly.

"Tabby, stop bothering the children," Charles joked as he approached and leaned down to hug Rachel.

"I'm not  _bothering_  them, dear. I was simply admiring Rachel's ring and complimenting Jesse's taste in jewelry, that's all."

"Shelby says it's time to open presents, you'll have more time to admire the ring later."

"We saved the loveseat for you and Grandpa, you should have a sit down," Rachel told her grandmother with a smile.

"Knowing your mother, she won't start until everyone is seated and she'll be mad if we hold things up too long. Thank you for saving seats for us, darling," Tabitha said before following her husband over to the loveseat.

* * *

After everyone but Shelby, unbeknownst to her, had opened all of their presents, Rachel grabbed Jesse's hand as she saw Jack give Shelby her decoy present. With a small smile, Jesse squeezed her hand back as he watched the proposal unfold.

As she opened the small box her significant other had given her, Shelby didn't notice him move from his seat next to her on the couch. It wasn't until he took her hands in his that she realized that he was now kneeling in front of her.

"Jack?" Shelby asked as she looked between her love and her family, unsure what exactly was going on.

"Shelby, I love you. I've loved you since we were just stupid teenagers trying to figure out who we were and what we wanted to accomplish in life. I made the mistake of letting you go once, and I told you I wasn't going to leave you again. I want you to know that I really meant what I said. I want us to be husband and wife, just like we planned all those years ago. I still want that and I'm hoping you do, too. Will you marry me?"

As she tried to find the words to give Jack her answer, Shelby glanced around the room at her family. Everyone was nodding their heads for her to say yes, and judging by the way Rachel was gripping Jesse's hand, she had a suspicion that her daughter knew about the proposal. When she realized what ring the box that Jack was currently holding contained, she knew her whole family must have been in on this. That meant that Jack had not only asked her parents' permission, but had somehow gotten the ring she'd always wanted. He'd made sure Rachel was okay with this before proposing, too.

"Shelby?" Jack tried again, unsure whether or not he should stand up.

"Yes," Shelby managed as she felt tears begin to form in her eyes. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Jack smiled as he slid the ring onto Shelby's finger, then leaned up and pressed his lips to hers.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," Shelby responded with a watery smile, never noticing the camera that Leroy was currently holding.

* * *

"So, did he propose? What did Aunt Shelby say?" Holly asked as she and Dominic walked into Shelby's house a few hours later.

"Holl, you just walked in the door, isn't it a little early for questions?" Dominic wondered with a laugh.

"It's Holly, we just go with it," Rachel told him, though she was sure he already knew that.

"Leroy has a video. I'm pretty sure your grandmother has watched it about ten times already," Jesse told her.

"Sounds like Grandma," Holly agreed. "Where is she now?"

"In the living room conspiring with Jesse's grandma. At least she was the last time I looked."

"Your family is here, too?" Dominic asked Jesse.

"Just my grandma and my sister. Joel is here, too, but I think he's been recruited to help with something," Jesse answered. "We had our family Christmas last night after we got back, but when Rachel's grandma found out that they were spending Christmas by themselves, she convinced Shelby to invite them over."

"That  _definitely_  sounds like Grandma," Holly said to her cousin. "At least she'll be distracted by Aunt Shelby's engagement and all of the people here so she won't be lifting our hands to look at our rings every ten minutes."

Rachel giggled as she, Jesse, and Dominic followed Holly into the living room.

"You should go tell her that you're here anyway. Plus, you know how fond of Dominic she is."

"I told my mom I'd find her when I got here anyway, and she's probably not far away from Grandma."

"Come on, drama queen, let's go find the rest of your family," Dominic said with a laugh as he took Holly's hand and began to lead her further into the room.

"Have you caused any trouble yet,  _petit frère_?" Holly asked as she and Dominic approached the rest of her family.

"I'm not the troublemaker. That's you," Liam replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Whatever, it is not."

"Be nice to each other, my darlings, it's Christmas," Tabitha said as she joined the group.

"Merry Christmas, Grandma," Holly greeted with a smile.

"Merry Christmas," Tabitha returned as she hugged her granddaughter. "I see you brought your handsome boyfriend with you, too."

"I told him he's stuck with me."

Tabitha laughed as she moved to hug Dominic.

"You've got your hands full with this one. Are you sure you want her?"

"Finally! Someone who thinks the way I do!" Liam chimed in before Dominic could answer.

"She might be a drama queen, but she keeps things interesting. I think I'll keep her around for a while," Dominic answered with a playful wink for his girlfriend.

* * *

"So, what did you think of the proposal?" Rachel asked her cousin after dinner later that night.

"I think it was sweet and perfect for them. I have to admit, I really liked that he was able to completely surprise Aunt Shelby," Holly answered.

"Me, too. I'm glad my Mom was able to find her happily ever after again."

"Jack is her perfect match. Just like Jesse is yours, Dominic is mine, and Alec is Melina's."

"Holly, you know I want them together as much as you, and apparently everyone else, do, but you can't force them to be together. They have to do it on their own."

"I just want her to be happy. She hasn't had a whole lot of that in her life. Dominic says she's a lot happier now than she has been in the past and she finally feels like she has real friends, but I want to see her find the same kind of happiness you found with Jesse and I found with Dominic."

"Just give them time. They're still getting to know each other. She obviously seems more at ease with him now, so that's a step in the right direction."

"That's true," Holly admitted.

"Don't worry, I already talked to my parents about having everyone over before school starts up again, and they're on board with it."

"You're planning something, aren't you?"

Rachel grinned at her cousin.

"Aren't I always? I am a successful matchmaker, after all."

* * *

A couple of days later, as she waited for her friends to arrive, Rachel double-checked to make sure she had everything she should need while Jesse looked on in amusement.

"We have everything, Rach, I promise. I looked over your list again this morning, everything is here. Please stop worrying and just relax. This is supposed to be a fun, relaxing day with our friends. Although I know you and Holly have some matchmaking planned."

Rachel turned to face her boyfriend with a confused expression on her face.

"What makes you say that?" she asked as innocently as she could manage.

Jesse laughed as he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

"Because I know you….and I know Holly. I also know how much you want to see everyone as happy as we are. It's one of the many things I love about you. Just promise me you will relax and have fun today."

Rachel smiled up at her boyfriend, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek before she gave him her answer.

"I will, I promise. I've just really been looking forward to this and I want everything to go smoothly. I don't want anyone to feel awkward or like an outcast."

Before either teen could say anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.

"It sounds like our first guests are here. Shall we go greet them?" Jesse asked.

"Of course," Rachel answered with a smile before stealing a quick kiss from her boyfriend and then walking with him to the door.

* * *

"Is this a new outfit?" Kurt asked as he and Blaine followed Rachel and Jesse into the living room.

"Yes, I got it in New York," Rachel answered. "Do you like it?"

Kurt made a twirling motion with his finger, smiling when Rachel did as he had requested.

"It's very pretty. Very Rachel Berry-esque."

"Rachel Berry-esque?"

"Yes. It fits with your style. I approve."

Rachel smiled as she looped her arm through Kurt's.

"I missed you when I was in New York. Don't get me wrong, it was amazing, I just wish you had been able to go."

"You and me both. I was able to spend some time with my dad, though, so that was nice. He's been so busy opening the garage here and I've been busy with school and Vocal Adrenaline, so we haven't had much time to spend together like we used to."

"Well, I'm happy for you. Are you two going to continue living with your aunt?"

"I think so. My dad isn't sure he'll be staying here after I graduate, and he still has to go to Lima to check on things there, so it makes more sense to stay with my Aunt Melinda right now."

"How are things with Blaine?"

"They're great. I introduced him to my dad."

"How did that go?"

"They really hit it off, actually."

"Good. I'm glad. I suppose you want to hear more about New York, huh?"

Kurt shared a grin with his best friend.

"How did you know?"

"I had a hunch," Rachel answered with a laugh before beginning to fill Kurt in on everything that had happened in New York.

* * *

"Lina, are you almost ready?" Holly asked her friend as she knocked on the door to her bedroom. "You know how Rachel gets when we're late."

"I'm sorry, I'm almost ready, I promise," Melina said as she opened the door to allow Holly in.

"Are you okay? You seem stressed."

"Alec is going to be there, isn't he?"

"Yes…is that why you're so nervous?"

"I don't want to give him a reason not to like me."

"Lina, he's seen you in sweaty dance clothes and it was pretty obvious he still liked you. Your wardrobe has nothing to do with it. It's your personality that he likes, though you aren't exactly ugly, either."

Melina sighed as she sat down on her bed.

"I know that, it's just…I want to look nice. Is that so bad?"

"No, it's not. You've got lots of cute clothes that you could accomplish that with, and besides, it's casual. Jeans and a t-shirt will be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I could call Rachel and ask her again if you'd like."

"No, that's okay."

"What else is bothering you?"

"Now that my auditions are over and I'm not quite so stressed out…and now that I've had time to really sit and think about things…I think I may have pushed Alec away unnecessarily. I really like him and he's the first boy I've liked who doesn't make me feel like a dumb blonde half the time. He seems like a genuinely nice guy….and I don't want to lose my chance with him. I just don't want to rush into anything and ruin it, either."

"He  _is_  a genuinely nice guy. I've known him my entire life; he's kind of like another brother to me. You even have Marina's approval, which isn't easy to come by. Just be honest with him, tell him how you feel. I didn't have any plans of a boyfriend when I transferred back to Carmel, but then Dominic got me in trouble and the rest is history. I couldn't get him out of my head, no matter how much he annoyed me."

Melina laughed as she tied the belt of the sweater she'd put on over her shirt.

"That sounds like him, though he'll never admit  _he's_  the one who got  _you_  in trouble."

"He claims it's my fault for being so easily distracted."

"That's Dominic for you. Speaking of my brother, is he ready to go?"

"I told him to go start the car because it's cold outside and it wouldn't be nice of him to make us freeze while we wait for the car to warm up."

Melina laughed again as she and Holly left the room.

"Good thinking."

"I do have brilliant ideas sometimes."

* * *

"Avoiding the crowd, I see," Melina commented as she walked into the kitchen and found Alec standing there.

Alec turned at the sound of Melina's voice.

"I could say the same of you," he returned.

"I just came to get more water. Rachel said all the refreshments were in here."

Alec nodded in understanding before he spoke again.

"So, how do you think your auditions went?"

"Juilliard was the better of the two. I'd be thrilled to be accepted to either school, though I know I'll be disappointed if I don't get accepted to Juilliard."

"I'm sure you will."

"That makes one of us. Though my mom and step-dad say the same thing."

"If you don't mind me asking, have you told your dad yet?"

"I tried, he didn't seem very interested, so I dropped it. He still won't give me a good reason for why he told me I couldn't go back to even get my things. I think my step-mother has more to do with it, but I don't want to get into that right now. I'm having a good time and I don't want to spoil it."

"That's understandable. Tasha and Marina told me about how you spending your senior year at Carmel came about."

"The way that it happened still sucks, but I've made some really good friends here. Plus, my mom is absolutely thrilled that I'm here. My siblings are, too. I've gotten to really bond with my little sister, so I'm happy about that."

"Well, I'm happy things turned better for you."

"Thanks. So…how long are you back in Ohio for, again?"

"Until mid-January. I don't mind visiting Ohio; I just prefer to live in New York."

"I'm sure I'll feel the same way by this time next year. I have family here, so visiting will always be nice, but I'm positive I'll love New York. Although with two male roommates, we'll see how long that lasts."

"Two male roommates?" Alec questioned.

"My brother and Jesse," Melina explained. "Jack offered us his old apartment in New York. I wasn't sure if I wanted to live in the dorms or with my brother and Jesse at first."

"What made you decide on the apartment?"

"Dominic and I have always wanted to go to Juilliard together. It just wouldn't be the same if we weren't living together, too. Jesse's been a good friend, too, and I'm sure he won't be a horrible roommate, either."

"How do you keep everyone straight?"

Melina smiled a little as she shrugged.

"I've always had a large family, it's kind of second-nature now."

"You seem to have a large support system, that's always a good thing."

"I do now. It also helps to know someone already on the inside, too."

"Like I said in New York, I hope to see you on campus next year."

"Are you mad at me?" Melina questioned as she got the feeling Alec was trying to end the conversation without really talking about anything significant.

Alec sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm trying really hard not to be, but honestly, the rejection hurt….and just being your friend is kind of torture. I don't want to push you away and I want to give you time to get things figured out, but…I really like you, Melina. More than I've liked anyone before. It's a little unnerving, actually."

"Tell me about it," Melina agreed. "I'm sorry…I just didn't expect to ever see you again nor did I expect to be as comfortable around you as I am now…"

"You don't need to apologize. I'm the one who should be apologizing."

"You don't need to apologize, either, Alec. Since we're being honest…I really like you, too…and being your friend is torture, too. I just don't want to mess…whatever it is we have…up and I'm afraid I will…or that we will by pushing ourselves together too soon. Sure, we'd be able to spend time together while you're here, but what happens once you go back to New York?"

"We take it a day at a time, and do our best to keep in touch. I know you're going to be busy with school and Vocal Adrenaline, and Juilliard isn't exactly a slacker school, so it might be a little difficult to find time to talk some days, but we'll figure something out."

Melina sighed as she sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

"What if I don't get into either school and I can't move to New York? Then what?"

"Stop doubting yourself. You'll get in. It was clear from the little bit that I saw you dance and rehearse that you've spent countless hours over the years perfecting your skills. That would have shown in your audition, that's what they're looking for. Plus, I'm sure Shelby gave you a glowing letter of recommendation and I doubt she was the only one."

"I'm still adjusting to having people believe in me," Melina said so quietly Alec almost didn't hear her.

"Hey," Alec said softly as he moved the chair so that he could sit facing her. "It's okay to be nervous, to still be adjusting to having a strong support system with you all the time now. It's not something where you just wake up one day and you're used to it. Even though I've always had the support of my family, I know a few people whose families took a while to come around. I understand, I promise."

"I didn't think you'd be so easy to talk to," Melina admitted with a small smile.

Alec chuckled as he shook his head.

"Is that good or bad?" he wondered.

"It's good. It's just unexpected…which seems to be the story of my life this year."

"How would you feel about adding to that list?"

"Umm…it depends, I guess. What did you have in mind?"

"This," Alec said before he leaned over to press his lips to Melina's, hoping he wasn't reading her signals incorrectly.

* * *

**Translations:**

_petit frère =_ little brother


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N:**  As I said in the last chapter, now that everyone is back in Ohio, some old friends will be showing up (and I'll try to make sure they stick around). Hope you all enjoy and please review :) As always, translations will be at the bottom.

* * *

After recovering from her surprise, Melina closed her eyes and slid her hand around Alec's neck as she returned his kiss. Once they had both pulled back, Alec was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you…" he started, unsure what Melina's silence meant.

"You didn't push me," Melina assured him. "I was surprised, yes, but if I didn't want to kiss you, I would have literally pushed you away."

"So does this mean you'll go out on a date with me now?" Alec asked hopefully.

Melina smiled a little as she nodded.

"I'm still nervous about this whole thing, but okay."

"If you think things are moving too fast, just tell me."

"Holly and Rachel are going to have a field day with this…well, Holly will anyway," Melina said with a sigh, earning a chuckle from Alec.

"She means well."

"I know she does, but she's always so enthusiastic about things. It's a little scary sometimes."

Alec laughed as he stood and then held his hand out for Melina.

"That's Holly for you. You can't help but love her for it. Maybe I'm just used to it because we pretty much grew up together."

"I can't really be mad at her," Melina explained as she took Alec's hand and stood up. "She makes my brother incredibly happy and I know she genuinely loves him. She's also been a really good friend to me and she's never made me feel like she's my friend just because she's dating my brother."

"Tasha likes to say that Holly just has a lot of grand ideas and she doesn't always know the best way to go about executing them."

"Yeah, that pretty much sums her up. Though I have to admit, her Halloween costume ideas were fun, as was the party that Rachel convinced her parents to let her throw for the team."

"So this is where you two were hiding out. Rachel was beginning to worry," Holly said as she walked into the room and inserting herself into the conversation. "She also wanted me to bring more drinks out there."

At Holly's words, Alec and Melina shared a look that caused the other girl to start laughing.

"You two really fell for keeping the drinks in the kitchen thing?" she asked incredulously, "and you think  _I_  come up with some pretty out there schemes. You obviously need to get to know my cousin better."

"So this was all a set-up?" Melina asked.

"Not like that," Holly quickly assured her. "Rachel's just very intuitive. I'm sure she was just trying to help by giving the two of you an opportunity to talk alone. She didn't mean anything bad by it. She wants you to be happy, Lina, I promise, that's all it is."

Melina sighed as she nodded.

"I know she meant well, I just would have liked to not be set-up."

"She didn't make you talk to Alec. You could have come in here, gotten the bottled water she said you were looking for, and not said anything to him. I'm not sure she even knew Alec was in here, to be honest. She said she saw him walk this direction, but the kitchen isn't the only room this way."

"She has a good point," Alec said to the girl at his side.

"I'm not mad, I just need a minute," Melina said a few moments later.

"I'll tell her you'll be out in a few minutes," Holly told her as she walked towards the door.

Once Holly had left the room, Melina turned back to the boy at her side.

"Thank you for listening…and we'll figure out a time for our date, but right now, I'd really like to go back out there and spend some time with my friends."

"Go ahead, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Aren't you coming with? You were invited, too, and not because both Holly and Rachel wanted to see us work things out. You're Holly's friend and Rachel seems to like you already."

"I was actually on my way out when you walked in…I promised my parents I would help with a dance class this afternoon."

"I didn't make you late, did I?" Melina wondered.

"No, I have everything I need with me, so I can just head right over to the studio in Tallmadge. I promised my parents months ago that I'd help out while one of the other instructors is on vacation. I told Rachel I could stop by today, but I couldn't stay long."

"Well, I'm sure she appreciates you stopping by. I'm not sure how you're going to call me tomorrow, though."

"What do you mean?"

"I never gave you my number."

Alec laughed as he nodded.

"Right," he said as he took out his phone, handing it to Melina. "Go ahead and program it in. Like I said, I'll call you tomorrow."

Melina nodded as she programmed her number into Alec's phone.

"I'd let you put your number in my phone, but it's in my purse upstairs."

"Just have one of my sisters give it to you. I'm sure they'll be more than willing to do that."

Melina laughed as she handed the phone back to Alec.

"Probably. I should get going, but…thanks again for listening…"

"Anytime," Alec responded before he leaned down to brush his lips with Melina's again and then walked out the door towards his car.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked as she saw Melina walk back into the living room looking a little unsure.

"Alec asked me out again….and I said yes this time," Melina revealed.

Rachel let out a squeal of excitement as she hugged the older girl.

"That's fantastic!"

"What's all the excitement about?" Kurt asked as he joined the two girls near the doorway to the living room.

"I have a date…sort of," Melina answered.

"What do you mean 'sort of'?" Kurt wondered.

"Alec said he'd call me tomorrow and we'd set something up, he had to get going."

"Who's Alec?"

"Tasha's older brother," Rachel explained. "Tall, very dark brown, almost black, hair, blue eyes. We saw him after rehearsal one day, when he came to pick up Tasha."

"Ooh yes, good choice," Kurt said, making the two girls laugh.

"Sorry to interrupt your girl chat, Berry, but St. James says you're up," Puck said as he joined the group.

"I did promise him another duet, so I better go find out what song he chose," Rachel said before she made her way over to her boyfriend.

Once Puck had gone the same direction as Rachel, Melina turned to Kurt, who was still standing by her.

"Would you help me pick out an outfit? Rachel says you're the best person to go to for fashion-related advice."

Kurt smiled at her before he answered.

"I'd be happy to. It is my specialty, after all."

"Thank you," Melina said before changing the subject. "So, where's Blaine?"

"Probably with Jesse. I know he wanted to hear how the auditions went, he was really disappointed he couldn't go with to New York."

"I thought Jesse's grandmother and sister bought all the tickets? Aren't they also Blaine's grandmother and cousin?"

"They did, but Blaine's brother is home from college, so his parents thought it would be better for him to stay home and spend time with his brother. Even though they don't really get along."

"Isn't it a little weird how everyone is so connected?"

Kurt shrugged before he spoke again.

"Not really. I guess I don't really think about it that much. Rachel and Jesse are always going to be at the center of our ever-growing group, they're the ones that brought us all together in the first place. She's the reason I'm even here right now. If it hadn't been for her, I would still be at McKinley, getting slushies thrown at me just because the jocks dislike me. I don't really want to talk about that, though. Tell me, did the handsome boy kiss you?"

Melina laughed as she began to tell Kurt about her encounters with Alec, including the first time she saw him.

* * *

"Do you think I should check on the kids?" Shelby asked her new fiancé as they sat in the music room together, going through various pieces of music to possibly use for next semester.

"The kids are  _fine_ , Shel. Rachel knows where we are, and she, Jesse, or one of their friends will find us if they need us."

Shelby nodded before she posed her next question.

"Are you sure this is the life you want?"

"You mean with you and your crazy family? Absolutely. So maybe we did things a little bit backwards, but we're back together and we're getting married. I told you, I love Rachel like she's my own daughter. I consider her my daughter."

Shelby smiled at Jack's words.

"I'm sorry I keep asking, I guess I'm still kind of in shock."

"It's okay. I'll admit that this life wasn't exactly what I imagined when I started looking for you, but now…I couldn't imagine anything else."

"Well…good, because as my lovely niece likes to say, you're stuck with us."

Jack laughed as he nodded.

"Goes both ways, you know."

"I suppose I can handle that."

* * *

"Alec, is that you?" Talia asked as she heard the door to the dance studio open.

"Yes, Mama," Alec answered as he walked over to his mother and gave her a hug.

"Thank you again for helping us out today. I'm sure there are other places you'd like to be."

"I promised you that I would."

"Did you see Melina at the party?"

Alec sighed as he sat to switch his shoes.

"Mama, please."

"I just think she's a lovely girl and I know how much you like her…"

"Just let me handle this, please. The last thing I want is for her to call me and tell me she decided she doesn't want to go out with me after all."

"She agreed to go out with you?" Talia asked excitedly. "That's great!"

"Well at least you aren't trying to boss me around like my twin sister likes to do."

"I did plenty of bossing around when you were growing up. As for Marina, do you really expect anything else?"

"No," was Alec's immediate response.

"I hope your date goes well, sweetheart. She seems like a nice girl…and it's about time you found one of those."

"Mama, please," Alec repeated.

"I'm just saying she seems sincere, she doesn't seem like she'll show you a completely different personality once you two are together."

"If she agrees to that."

"Just use that infamous McKenzie charm I know you inherited from your father."

Alec grinned at his mother as he stood.

"Can I charm you into making  _kasha_  and  _butterbrots_  for breakfast?"

"You know, sometimes I do think you and Marina have some kind of twin telepathy going on. She asked me that earlier. She didn't mention it to you, did she?"

"No. She was too busy making lovey-dovey faces at Edmund."

Talia bit back a laugh at her son's description.

"All right, then why don't we go over the dances for this class instead? As a quick refresher before we begin."

"I'm pretty sure I can still remember them all, but okay, sure."

* * *

"I don't want to go," Holly said as she and Dominic sat in his car just outside her house.

"You have a curfew, Holl, you kind of have to go," Dominic responded regretfully.

" _Je m'en fou_."

"Holly. You know I'd love to stay with you again, but I can't."

Holly sighed as she turned to look at her boyfriend.

"I know, but after everything that happened in New York…I feel more connected to you now. Jesse and Rachel get to stay with each other. Plus, it's not like we have school, or even rehearsal, in the morning."

"Jesse's only living with Rachel and her family because things weren't so great with his family and he's still getting to know his sister. Otherwise they'd be in the same situation as we are." Dominic reminded her. When she still didn't say anything, he spoke again. "  _Je t'aime_."

" _Je t'aime aussi_ ," Holly responded, "but I still don't like this."

"What if I promise to call you when I get home and we'll talk for a little while before we go to sleep?"

"Fine," Holly said with a sigh.

"Have fun with your mom tomorrow and I'll see you the next day."

Holly nodded before she leaned over to kiss Dominic and then walked into her house.

* * *

"Mom, I'm home," Holly called as she closed the front door behind her.

"Hi, honey, how was the party?" Sara greeted as she walked into the entryway.

"It was fun. Rachel and Jesse sang a bunch of duets, as usual, and I convinced Dominic to dance with me a couple of times. We won the dance contest."

"There was a dance contest?" Sara wondered.

"Not officially, just for fun. I kind of forgot just how competitive Rachel can get."

"Well, I'm glad you had fun," Sara said before she noticed the sad look on her daughter's face. "Are you okay, honey?"

Holly shrugged a little before she answered her mother.

"I miss Dominic. I kind of got used to being able to spend a large amount of time with him; I just have to adjust to not seeing him all the time anymore. He's going off to college in a few months, anyway, might as well get used to it."

"I wish I had some grand advice to give you, but I don't. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it'll get easier, because it won't, but I'm here for you if you want to talk. About Dominic, about school, about whatever."

Not really knowing what to say, but wanting to let her mother know she was grateful, Holly hugged her tightly. After recovering from her surprise, Sara hugged her daughter back just as tightly, relishing in the fact that she actually wanted her around.

* * *

"Ugh."

At the sound of his girlfriend's voice, Jesse turned around to see that she had promptly flopped down on his bed. With a smile, he walked over and lay down beside her.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Yes. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed having everyone over today, but what I really want is some alone time with you."

"I'm all yours."

"Promise?"

"I'd say the  _promise_  ring you're wearing would suggest that. What would you like to do the rest of the night?"

"Guess," Rachel told him with a mischievous smile.

"Hmm," Jesse responded as he pretended to contemplate what she might want. "I'm thinking a Barbra movie, with possibly some cuddling and kisses involved, and ending the night wrapped in each other's arms as we fall asleep together."

" _Possibly_  some cuddling and kisses?"

"I may be convinced to include those."

"Oh, really? How am I supposed to convince you?"

"I can't tell you. You have to figure it out."

"I think I have an idea."

"Oh? What might that be?"

"You'll see," Rachel replied before sliding her hand around his neck and pulling him down to kiss her.

* * *

"So, how long do you think it will take before the newest lovebirds are officially a couple?" Kurt wondered as Blaine began to drive.

"What are you talking about?" Blaine asked, clearly out of the loop.

"Have you honestly not noticed?"

"I guess not. Who are we talking about?"

"Alec and Melina."

"Ohh."

"What do you mean 'ohh'?" Kurt wanted to know.

Blaine chuckled before he answered his boyfriend.

"It's pretty obvious, plus they were both conspicuously absent from the party for a while."

"Melina asked me to help her pick out an outfit for their date."

"Building followers for your fashion empire already?"

Kurt laughed as he nodded.

"Of course. They're all willing. I just hope they're as willing to try out Kurt Hummel originals later on."

"I'm sure they would. I'm pretty sure even my mom would, she's still telling people about how the fashion advice you gave her changed her life."

"All I said was that a darker color would complement her skin tone and hair color much better. But back to Alec and Melina. You never answered my question."

"If they're meant to be, it won't take long. Since I know you want an actual prediction, I'd say before their first date is over."

"Well, you correctly predicted Dominic and Holly getting together in Lima, so I'm inclined to believe you. Plus, I agree that it won't take them long."

"I'm glad you believe in my predictive powers," Blaine said with a laugh.

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"

* * *

"Morning, Mom," Rachel greeted as she walked into the kitchen the next morning.

"Morning, baby," Shelby responded with a smile. "Are you ready for our mothers-daughters day?"

"I am. Where's Jack?"

"Still sleeping. He was up late talking with your grandparents, about what I'm not sure."

"Maybe he's offering them an apartment, too. It seems to be very persuasive."

"You know, I wouldn't put it past him to do something like that."

Rachel shared a grin with her mother as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Can I see your ring again?"

Shelby smiled as she nodded and then held out her left hand, letting her daughter admire the family heirloom.

"This was your grandmother's?" Rachel asked.

"Yes. She gave it to your grandma for safe-keeping."

"What was her name?"

"Samantha."

"I wish I could have met her. Maybe Grandma could tell me more about her."

"I'm sure she'd love to. Holly looks a lot like her, actually. I have an old photo album of your grandmother's that has some pictures. I'll show you later."

"Deal. Are we eating here or are we meeting Holly and Aunt Sara?"

"We're meeting them in about a half an hour. Sara said Holly would text me when they're here."

"Will you tell me how you met Jack?"

"I never told you?"

"You've told me stories about you two in high school, and I kind of gathered that that's where you met, but you never told me how exactly it happened."

"It wasn't anything that makes for a good story like how you and Jesse met, but all right," Shelby agreed before launching into the story of how she had met Jack.

* * *

"Holly, we need to go," Sara said as she knocked on her daughter's door.

"I'm staying here," Holly returned a beat later.

"Rachel wants you to be there. Do you want to disappoint your favorite cousin?"

A few seconds later, Sara smiled as she saw the door open and her daughter stick her head out.

"Ten minutes," she said before quickly closing the door.

"I'm holding you to that."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

With a quiet laugh, Sara turned and walked downstairs to wait for her daughter.

* * *

"How are you so chipper this early in the morning?" Holly grumbled as Rachel joined her in the backseat of Sara's car.

"I've been looking forward to this for a while. I was up before my alarm, actually," Rachel answered.

"You would be," was Holly's immediate response.

Rachel laughed as she handed a tall travel mug over to her cousin.

"Is this what I think it is?" Holly asked her.

"Yes, it's coffee."

"Good."

"Did you wake Dominic up this morning?"

"I sent him a text, but I assume he slept through it," Holly answered. "I'm sure Jesse was awake with you?"

"He wasn't, actually. He woke up for a second when I left the bed, but he just grabbed my pillow and went back to sleep."

"Must be nice."

Rachel sent her cousin a confused look, but Holly simply turned to look out the window instead of saying anything else. It didn't take Rachel long to figure out what had upset the older girl.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Rachel started.

"You don't need to apologize. I know I shouldn't be jealous, considering the reason why Jesse is living with you, but I am."

"You and Dominic will be officially living together before Jesse and I will. At least you'll be used to not seeing your boyfriend all the time."

"It still sucks."

"I agree."

Before either teen could say anything else, they heard the chime of Holly's phone.

"Is that Dominic?" Rachel asked, though she was sure she already knew the answer based on her cousin's newfound smile.

"Yes. He told me that I'm only forgiven for waking him up so early because he loves me…and that he's going back to sleep now, but he hopes I have a good time today."

"I can see him saying that."

"So, tell me, cousin, how did you get Aunt Shelby to agree to hold off on resuming rehearsals until school starts again?"

Rachel grinned at her cousin before she began to explain.

* * *

As he listened to the beginning of Melina's voicemail again, Alec frowned as he flipped his phone shut.

"You know, calling once would have been enough, you don't want to scare the poor girl away before she even goes out with you," Marina said as she walked into her brother's room.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Alec asked her.

Marina shrugged and waved her hand before she answered.

"Twin privileges."

"What can I do for you, oh twin of mine?"

"Can I borrow your car?"

"Why?"

"Mama left me a list of things to get at the store and the money to buy them with, but she neglected to leave me a vehicle."

"Since when do you grocery shop for Mama?"

"Since she guilt-tripped me into it. You know, if you weren't Mr. Perfect Son, I wouldn't be doing this."

"All the more reason to keep doing it," Alec told her with a grin.

In answer, Marina picked up a nearby pillow and threw it at him.

"My keys are in my coat. You owe me."

"No,  _Mama_  owes you. She's the one who left me without a car," Marina corrected, her laughing smile turning into a grin when she heard Alec's phone ring. "Is that Melina?" she asked.

"Yes, now get out," Alec told her, throwing the pillow back at her.

Marina laughed as she grabbed the keys from her brother's coat pocket and then left the room, leaving him alone to talk to the girl he liked. As much as she and Alec might bicker, he was her twin and she loved him. She wanted him to find the same happiness that their parents had, that she had found with Edmund. She had a feeling Melina was going to be a key part of that equation.

* * *

"Noah, I need you to stay here with Ava tonight," Laila said as she walked into the living room where her son and his girlfriend were currently watching a movie.

"Ava is thirteen, I think she can take care of herself," Puck answered once he had paused the movie.

"Noah, please don't argue with me. I told Ava she could invite a friend over and to stay out of your hair. I would just feel better if you were here with her. I'm getting a bonus for picking up this shift. I can't turn that down. I'm sorry."

Puck sighed before he spoke again.

"It's okay. I understand," he said before glancing at his girlfriend. "I guess we could just order in instead of going out for food tonight?"

"I'll leave you money. There are leftovers in the fridge if you decide you don't want to order out."

"What time are you leaving?"

"Now, actually. The sooner I can get there, the better. Ava is upstairs in her room."

"I'll check on her after the movie is done."

"Thank you, both of you. Have a good night, I'll be home late," Laila said before she turned and walked towards the door to the garage.

"You don't have to stick around," Puck said to his girlfriend as he picked up the remote once more.

"You think I'm going to leave you alone with two thirteen year-olds?  _De ninguna manera_."

"Why don't you just invite  _your_  sister over, Satan? At least I know she and Ava won't shriek too loudly."

Santana laughed as she reached for her phone.

"Go talk to  _tu hermana_  while I call mine."

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

"I have a date tomorrow night."

Penelope looked up from the book she had been reading when she heard her daughter's voice.

"With who? I thought you weren't going to date until you got to New York?"

"With Alec….and I thought so, too," Melina answered as she moved to sit next to her mother.

"What changed your mind?"

"Spending time with him. Like I told Tasha, he's the first guy I've liked who doesn't make me feel like a dumb blonde half the time. He actually listens when I talk and he seems to want to learn everything about me."

Penelope smiled at her daughter before she spoke.

"Then I think you will have a wonderful time tomorrow night."

"I'm nervous."

"That's natural, honey."

"I don't want to ruin…whatever Alec and I could possibly have. What if this is too soon?"

"You two spent a lot of time together in New York, plus the plane ride back. I probably knew less about Tony when I went out on our first date than you do about Alec right now. Just have fun and be yourself."

"Easy for you to say."

"Fine, I'll be excited for you then."

"I'm excited, too, but mostly nervous."

"You have absolutely nothing to be worried about, I promise."

"Will you do my hair? I already recruited Kurt, Rachel, and Holly to help me pick out an outfit."

"I'd love to."

* * *

**Translations:**

kasha: a kind of porridge made from different grains

butterbrots: a type of sandwich made up of a single slice of bread and one topping (such as butter or ham)

Je m'en fou = I don't care

Je t'aime = I love you

Je t'aime aussi = I love you, too

De ninguna manera = no way

tu hermana = your sister


	48. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee, just my OCs.

* * *

Walking into her house after she had gotten home from her shift at the hospital, Laila noticed the TV in the living room was still on.

"Noah, are you still awake?" she called as she walked into the room.

When she saw her son and Santana asleep on the couch, with Ava and Rosa asleep on the floor, she couldn't help but smile. Taking some blankets from a nearby chair, she placed one over the sleeping couple on the couch and one over each of the girls on the floor. After she had turned off the TV, she walked upstairs to call Santana and Rosa's mother.

* * *

"Satan, wake up," Puck said, nudging his girlfriend.

" _No. Quiero dormir un poco más_ ," Santana responded, keeping her eyes closed.

"It's morning."

At her boyfriend's words, Santana's eyes flew open.

"Rosa,  _despertarse_. ¡ _Ahora_!"

" _Callate_ ," Rosa replied sleepily as she rolled over, turning her back on her sister.

"It's okay, Santana," Laila told her softly as she walked into the room. "I talked to your grandmother. She said she would let your mother know you two decided to stay here for the night. We agreed it wasn't wise for you to be tired while driving late at night."

"Thank you for letting us stay," Santana responded.

"You're welcome. It's the least I could do after ruining your date night with Noah."

"Shouldn't you still be asleep?" Puck asked his mother.

"It's almost nine o'clock, I think I slept enough. As did you. There are waffles in the kitchen if you're hungry."

As if on cue, Santana's stomach began to grumble, causing Laila to laugh.

"I'll take care of waking the sleeping beauties, you two go eat."

"Thanks, Ma," Puck said before taking Santana's hand and leading her into the kitchen.

* * *

"So, have you decided what you want to do?" Charles asked his wife as they drove back to their older daughter's house after looking at Jack's apartment.

"I don't want to miss any more of our grandchildren's lives," Tabitha answered. "At the same time, I know I'll miss our friends in Florida."

"There's nothing stopping us from visiting them, or from them visiting us. I'll miss them, too, but I also know how much you want to help Shelby plan her wedding."

"Charlie, our granddaughters have grown up so fast. Holly will be going off to college next year. College."

Charles reached across the car for his wife's hand before he spoke again.

"I know, Tabby. We'll talk to the girls when they get home from their mothers-daughters day. You know at least the kids will be thrilled."

"Maybe we should ask Nick what he thinks. We obviously know what Jack thinks. We should ask Hiram and Leroy, too."

"You can call Hiram when we get back to Sara's. I promised Liam a game of Wii Golf."

Tabitha squeezed her husband's hand.

"Thank you for understanding."

"For the record, I'd like to stay here and be able to more easily see our loved ones."

"Me, too. I just hope our daughters feel the same."

* * *

"Why is grandma and grandpa's rental car in your driveway?" Holly asked her cousin as her mother pulled into Shelby's driveway.

"Good question. I thought they were spending the day with Liam."

"Well, maybe we should go inside and see what's going on," Sara suggested.

"It's nothing bad, is it?" Rachel worried.

"I'm not sure, baby," Shelby answered, "but I doubt it."

"Stop being such a worrywart," Holly teased in an effort to lighten the mood, though she was just as worried as her cousin.

* * *

"Mom? Dad?" Shelby called as she, Sara, Rachel, and Holly walked into the room.

"Hello, darlings," Tabitha greeted with a smile.

"Dad? Daddy? What's going on?" Rachel wanted to know.

"Calm down, Rach, it's nothing bad, I promise," Jesse told her as he walked up beside her and took her hand in his.

"Dad? Didn't you have to work today?" Holly asked upon seeing her father join her uncles and grandparents in the living room.

"I asked him the same thing and he told me I had to wait until you and Mom got here," Liam informed his sister.

"Well, what's going on?" Holly demanded.

"How would you feel about us sticking around a while longer?" Charles began.

"How much longer are we talking about?" Sara queried. "A couple of weeks?"

"We were thinking more like years," Tabitha answered.

"Are you taking over Jack's apartment?" Rachel guessed, trying to suppress her excitement.

"We're seriously considering it…but we didn't want to make a decision until we talked to all of you."

"Well…what do you say?" Charles wondered.

Sara and Shelby exchanged a look with each other and then their significant others before turning to look at their children, who were all clearly trying not to get their hopes up.

"The more the merrier, right?" Sara said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Welcome back to Ohio," Shelby added as she smiled.

"You're really staying?" Rachel asked her grandparents.

"Yes, my darling," Tabitha answered as they hugged.

"Good. I wasn't looking forward to you leaving."

"Well, we have to go back and get our things, but then we'll be here to stay."

* * *

"So, do you have any outfits in mind?" Kurt asked as he began to look through Melina's closet.

"No," was Melina's immediate response. "I'm still not sure this was a great idea."

"Please. That boy clearly likes you and you clearly like him back."

"I'd say she more than just likes him," Holly put in her from her spot between Tasha and Rachel on Melina's bed.

"Holly, be nice, she's nervous," Rachel playfully reprimanded.

"Like you weren't nervous the first time you went out with Dominic," Tasha added.

"Are you sure this isn't weird for you?" Melina asked Tasha.

"I'm used to girls thinking Alec is cute. Dmitry is another story, but I don't want to think about that. Besides, I think it's kind of fun to get to see both sides of this."

"You would," Holly told her with a laugh.

"If you three are done bickering like the sisters you wish you were, I'd like an opinion on this outfit," Kurt said with a slight huff.

"Isn't that a little cold for winter?" Tasha asked when she saw the dark blue spaghetti-strapped tank top Kurt was holding up.

"What about that pink and white striped button up shirt I know is in that closet somewhere?" Holly suggested.

"Do you know where you're going?" Rachel asked Melina.

"Alec said it was a surprise, but it wasn't anything fancy," Melina answered. "I tried to get more out of him, but he wouldn't tell me anything else."

"Well you can still look nice without being fancy," Kurt told her. "Go put these on with those jeans you're wearing."

"Okay…"

Once Melina had gone into the bathroom to change, Kurt turned back to the three girls sitting on the bed.

"You know, a little help would be nice."

"We are helping," Rachel insisted with a grin for her best friend. "We're keeping out of your way so you can help Melina look fabulous for her date. If you can't make her look fabulous now, how is she ever going to want to try Kurt Hummel originals?"

"You've been talking to Blaine, I see."

"We got to talking earlier when he stopped by to see Jesse."

"Holly, Rachel, and I will take care of the make-up. Melina's mom will be taking care of her hair," Tasha told him, "and for the record, I'm sure any Kurt Hummel original will be fabulous."

Kurt smiled at her, but was stopped from saying anything else by Melina walking out of the bathroom.

"I thought it looked better open than closed…" she started, referring to her button-down shirt.

"It was a good call," Kurt agreed. "Now we just need to find shoes."

"I know which ones!" Holly exclaimed as she got up off the bed and walked over to Melina's closet.

"At least pick ones I can walk properly in," Melina requested.

Holly nodded as she looked through the various shoes, smiling when she came across the pair she was looking for.

"How about these?" she asked as she held up a pair of black high-heeled boots for Melina and Kurt.

"Once she puts them on, then I'll decide," Kurt answered.

"You know, I'm beginning to wonder why I asked for help in the first place," Melina grumbled good-naturedly as she put on the shoes.

"I don't know about those three, but I know fashion, so I'm a natural choice to help pick out a date outfit."

"You know you like us," Holly told her with a laugh.

"I think the outfit is a winner," Tasha said, changing the subject back to Melina. "Now it's time for make-up."

"Nothing too over-the-top," Melina said as she sat down in a nearby chair.

"Considering  _I_  will be the one doing your make-up, I can guarantee you that it won't be over-the-top," Rachel assured her.

"Well, that makes me feel better."

* * *

"You look beautiful," Penelope said as she finished doing her daughter's hair.

"The braids don't look too childish?" Melina asked.

"Only part of your hair is braided, and we all agree it looks pretty," Rachel told her.

"Alec should be here any minute, and if he's not, I'll call him and find out what's taking so long," Tasha added.

"What if he doesn't like me as much after this? What if I make a complete fool of myself?" Melina worried.

"I'm sure he's only going to like you  _more_  after this."

"Just follow your heart," Rachel said with a smile.

"Speaking of following your heart," Melina responded. "I think I've made my brother wait long enough to spend time with his girlfriend."

"He wanted to see you before you leave," Holly revealed.

"Then I'll bring you to him. It'll keep my mind off of things for a little while…and I'd like to see him before I leave, too."

* * *

After making sure she had everything she needed, Melina hugged each of her friends before she and Holly walked out the door and down the hall to Dominic's room.

"I brought you your girlfriend, thank you for letting me borrow her," Melina joked once Dominic had opened the door.

"You look very nice, Lina, and thank you for returning Holly," Dominic responded, moving to hug his sister.

"You two are hilarious," Holly stated as she moved into Dominic's embrace and heard the doorbell rang. "Have fun, Lina."

"I'm still nervous….but I'll try. Thank you again for helping me."

"Anytime. Now go."

"Going."

* * *

"Hi," Alec said with a smile as he saw Melina appear next to her mother in the doorway.

"Hi," Melina responded, unsure what else to say.

"Don't you need a coat? It's still December…"

"Right," Melina agreed as she turned to grab her coat from a nearby hook.

"So, how do you feel about Greek food?" Alec asked as they walked towards his car.

Melina grinned as she answered him.

"I love it. I haven't been able to find a restaurant around here yet, but I haven't really had much time to do a lot of research, either."

"There's a little place near my parents' dance studio in Tallmadge that Marina and I found a couple of years ago. I had a couple of other places in mind; I know we didn't really talk about where to go…"

"Greek sounds delicious," Melina assured him as they got into the car. "My grandma Harris used to make these big, Greek dinners every time she had us over. Holiday or not. Whenever my great-aunt would visit, they'd be even bigger and have more food. She'd always bring pictures of Greece, too. Going there is at the top of my list of places I'd like to visit someday."

"I can see why. I guess you'll have to settle for the second-best thing for now."

Melina sent him a confused look before she spoke again.

"Did we swap personalities or something? I'm the one who's supposed to be in doubt, remember?"

Alec chuckled as he shook his head.

"I still kind of feel like I forced you into this…" he revealed.

"I keep telling you, you aren't forcing me to do anything. You can ask Tasha or Holly if you don't believe me. I..." Melina started, only to cut herself off with a shake of her head.

"You…what?" Alec wanted to know.

"This is going to make me sound like a psycho, but here goes. I…haven't been able to forget you since we met," Melina revealed.

"You don't sound like a psycho," Alec assured her. "I haven't been able to forget you, either. I didn't think I'd ever see you again, though. Imagine my surprise when my mother sends me to pick up my sister from rehearsal and I see her talking to you."

"I was surprised to find out you were my friend's brother. Sometimes I wonder if Tasha somehow orchestrated this whole thing."

"You know, I wouldn't put it past her. She's okay with us going out, right? I figured she'd think something was up if I asked."

Melina smiled as she nodded.

"She encouraged me to give you a chance, actually. She was over helping me get ready, too. Besides, I'm sure she would have told me if she wasn't okay with it. If not me, then Holly and Holly would have told me."

"That's true."

"I think it's sweet that you worry about your siblings the way it's clear that you do."

"You're the first girl to say that."

"Well, I'm not like most girls," Melina retorted, earning her a grin from Alec.

"Oh, I figured that out already," he told her with a laugh.

* * *

"Hi, Rachel," Blaine greeted as he saw Rachel walk into the music room later that afternoon.

"Hi," Rachel returned with a smile. "Where's Jesse?"

"Genevieve called, said she had something for him. I was instructed to stay here and tell you not to worry, that he'll be back soon."

"How about a duet, then?" Rachel suggested. "As my future male lead, we should work on our harmonies sooner rather than later."

"No matter what Jesse says, nothing is official yet. The team hasn't even had a chance to vote on it."

"Well, either way, I'd like to sing a duet with you. We're friends, aren't we?"

Blaine smiled and nodded.

"We are," he agreed. "What would you like to sing, friend?"

Rachel grinned as she paged through the music book sitting on the piano.

"This one," she said.

"Good choice," Blaine agreed before playing the opening notes.

* * *

"Good, you're here," Genevieve said with a smile as she walked into the entryway and saw Jesse enter the house.

"What do you have for me that couldn't wait?"

"I never said it couldn't wait. All I said was that I found something I thought you might be interested in and that I was leaving to visit some friends for a couple of days tomorrow. You're the one who said you'd be right over."

Jesse sent his sister an annoyed look before he spoke again.

"Well, what did you find?"

"So, I was cleaning out the attic and I found an old photo album. There are a bunch of pictures of us as kids. I showed it to Grandma and she said she had made it, but had left it behind when she was visiting years ago. We both thought you should have it," Genevieve explained as she handed Jesse the photo album.

"I'm surprised our parents kept this. They didn't like to be reminded they had children unless it benefited them."

"Yes, well, history won't be repeating itself, and we did have some good times as kids. I scanned the pictures I wanted onto my computer already. I'm trying to be a good older sister."

"You  _are_  a good older sister," Jesse assured her. "I'm sure Rachel will have fun looking through this with me…and thanks for thinking of me. I'm getting a lot of that lately."

"Kind of strange, right?" Genevieve inquired with a smile.

"Yeah, but I'm getting used to it. Rachel insists it's a good thing," Jesse agreed, returning his sister's smile.

"Joel says the same thing. I think they might be on to something."

"Are there pictures of Blaine and Cooper in here, too?"

Genevieve's smile turned into a grin as she answered her brother.

"There are a couple. I may have sent our cousin an email with some certain baby pictures attached…and I might have sent them to his girlfriend, too."

"Blaine will be happy to hear that," Jesse told her with a laugh.

"I figured as much. Grandma said Rachel's grandparents are sticking around, is that right?"

"Yeah, they are. They're taking over Jack's apartment near Carmel."

"How excited is Rachel?"

"Very. I think Grandma is excited, too."

"Yeah, she's excited to have another grandparent around to brag about grandchildren with."

Jesse laughed as he nodded in agreement.

"That's Grandma for you. I should get back to Shelby's, though."

"I know…and I have some work to catch up on, but maybe we can have lunch or something before you go back to school?"

"I'd like that. Thanks again for the album."

"You're welcome. Have a good night, little brother."

"You too, big sister."

* * *

"Hi."

"Hi," Jesse returned as he walked into the music room to find Blaine and Rachel sitting at the piano singing duets. "Did you find a new duet partner?"

"We're just practicing for next year," Rachel informed him with a smile. "You'll always be my favorite duet partner."

"I better be," He told her before turning to his cousin. "Thanks for keeping Rachel company."

"Anytime. I just hope the rest of the team agrees with you two that I should be the male lead next year," Blaine responded.

"I'm not sure they could find a better replacement than for Jesse than his cousin," Rachel added.

"I agree," Shelby said as she walked into the room. "I would say sing one of those duets in front of the team and I'm sure they will, too."

"We're not starting rehearsals early, are we?"

"No. I was actually hoping you would help me with something else, though."

"Sure. Are we talking wedding-type stuff?"

"Possibly," Shelby revealed with a smile. "I didn't think you'd mind."

"Oh, I don't," Rachel answered before she hugged Jesse and Blaine before following her mother out of the room.

"What's with the photo album?" Blaine asked, noticing the large book Jesse had set on top of the piano.

"Gen gave it to me. It's mostly pictures of the two of us as kids, but there are some of you and Cooper in there, too. She also told me she emailed both Cooper and his girlfriend some pictures."

"Remind me to thank her later," Blaine requested with a laugh.

* * *

As she and Alec walked out of the Greek restaurant, Melina heard his cell phone ring again.

"Your mom again?" she wondered.

"I'm sorry," Alec apologized. "It must be important if she's calling me for a third time."

"It's okay, go ahead and call her back."

Alec bent to press a kiss to Melina's cheek before pressing the button on his phone that would connect him with his mother.

"Mama? Is everything okay?"

"I know you're on your date, but since you closed the studio last night, I thought you might know what happened to the box of dance shoes that came in for the shop."

"The new box?"

"Yes."

Alec thought for a moment before he answered her.

"I think I saw it in the back room storage closet. If it's not there, then ask Marina. She was re-organizing things last night."

"I looked there, so I guess it's your sister's turn to be bothered. I'll see you at home later. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mama," Alec responded before hanging up and turning back to the girl at his side. "Sorry, misplaced inventory."

"I thought your parents ran a dance studio?" Melina wondered as they began to walk again.

"They do, but they also have a little shop in the studio that sells dance shoes, leotards, things like that. Marina was re-organizing things last night and forgot to inform our mother as to where she put everything."

"Do you really not know where whatever she was looking for is or did you just want your mom to bug your sister instead?"

Alec flashed her a grin before he answered.

"She was looking for a box of dance shoes that had come in yesterday…and I really don't know where they are for sure, but bugging Marina is just a side benefit."

"You know, if I hadn't witnessed first-hand how much you really do like your sister, I'd have to wonder."

"As much as she annoys me, she's still my twin and I love her," Alec admitted with a slight shrug.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Melina assured him with a smile.

"So," Alec began, changing the subject, "at the risk of pressing my luck…how about a second date?"

Melina smiled and nodded before she spoke.

"I'd like that…as long as you promise we can come back here again sometime."

"So you liked it, then?"

"Yes, very much. The food was delicious."

"Well, I'm glad it met with your approval….and I promise we can come back here again sometime."

"Good."

"I don't intend on going out on dates with anyone but you, you know."

"Alec…"

"I understand you're still worried about getting into Juilliard and getting to New York, but I don't want you to worry about whether or not I'm going out with other girls once I go back to college."

"I should hope not. I don't intend to share my boyfriend with anyone. Well, except friends and family, but that's a little different."

Suddenly at a loss for words, Alec simply stared at her as he attempted to figure out what to say. Taking advantage of his silence, Melina spoke again.

"Yes, I'm still worried about Juilliard and getting to New York, but I'm trying to be hopeful. I also really like you, which you already know, and for whatever reason, you like me back. You listen when I talk and seem interested in learning everything you can about me. I don't want to lose my chance with you."

"I told you I would wait…" Alec started, only to be cut off by Melina holding up her hand.

"You aren't pushing me, so don't even think that. If I felt I wasn't ready to date, instead of just being scared to, I wouldn't be here right now. I was under the impression you wanted us to be together…but if I'm wrong, just tell me."

"You aren't wrong," Alec said reassuringly before sliding his arms around her waist and bending his head to kiss her.

* * *

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Melina asked as she walked into the living room the next morning to find both of her parents as well as her step-dad sitting there.

"I brought you those things you wanted…and I was hoping we could talk," Stefan answered, standing to greet his daughter.

"Umm, okay, sure."

"We'll be in the kitchen if you need us, sweetheart," Penelope said to her daughter before walking into the next room with her husband.

"What's going on, Dad?" Melina wanted to know.

"Kaylee and I are getting a divorce. I'm sorry that I made you feel like I didn't want you; I just didn't want you to be involved in the cross-fire. I knew you would be safe and loved here. I didn't even tell your mom what was going on at first, and she already read me the riot act for it."

"I'm sorry your marriage didn't work out," Melina began.

"You don't need to be sorry. It was apparently clear to everyone but me that she wanted out a long time ago. I'm not sure why she didn't just file for divorce in the first place, but I'm not really sure I want to know, either. I do know that I'm sorry I didn't explain things to you sooner, though."

"I wish you would have. I'm eighteen, Dad; I think I can understand what's going on. I hated that you didn't seem interested in my life. It hurt."

"I know, and no amount of apologizing can make up for that, but Kaylee decided to take the other kids and go to her parents' for the weekend, so I had some time to gather your things and bring them to you. I hope you can forgive me someday."

"I appreciate you apologizing and bringing me my things. Were you paying attention when I told you about my auditions?"

"I was trying to. You could tell me again. Your mom said you're seeing someone, too."

"I guess you could call it that. We've only gone out once, which was yesterday, and everything is still so new. I just know that I like him a lot and I hope things work out."

"I'm sure they will. How did your auditions go? Which schools were they for?"

"I auditioned for Marymount Manhattan and Juilliard. The Juilliard one went better than Marymount, but I think I could have done better during both."

"You've always been a natural dancer, your mom and I both figured you'd do something with dance when you got older. You were always dancing around the house when you were little. I think you got Dominic into it, too. At least that's what your mom thinks."

"Somehow I wouldn't doubt it. I guess I'm partially responsible for him meeting Holly, then."

"Who's Holly?" Stefan asked, feeling more lost than ever.

"Dominic's girlfriend. She's my friend, too. We're all in Vocal Adrenaline together."

"Where did you meet your boyfriend?"

"His name is Alec, and we actually met last summer when Mom, Tony, Dominic, and I toured Juilliard. He's the brother of one of my good friends, too, but I didn't know that until after she and I became friends. We spent a lot of time together in New York…and things just sort of progressed from there."

"I'm glad you're happy, sweetheart. I promise I will try to visit more and spend more time with you, I'm just not sure when that will be."

"I understand. Thank you for telling me the truth…even if it is a little later than I would have liked."

Stefan smiled a little as he hugged his daughter.

"Come on; let's go get your things," he said as they pulled back.

* * *

"Can I help you find something, sweetie?" Hiram asked as he walked into the kitchen and saw his daughter looking through his recipe book.

"Nothing in particular, but Mom and I were talking about food for her wedding…she wants us to take care of it. I know she was at least hoping to use your recipes."

"Well, my new restaurant does offer catering, so I'm sure I can work something out. I'd love to help you, and I'll let your mom know, too. Have you found anything you like?"

"Way too much, but I have a plan."

Hiram chuckled as he took a seat next to his daughter at the table.

"Care to fill me in on this plan of yours?"

"Of course, Daddy," Rachel agreed before filling her father in on what she had planned.

* * *

"You must have had a busy day if you're ready for bed already," Jesse commented as he walked into his girlfriend's room later that night.

"I had a  _fun_ , busy day," Rachel corrected with a smile, patting the space on the bed beside her.

"Did you miss me at all?"

"Of course. You're my partner in crime, after all."

Jesse chuckled as he pulled his girlfriend into his arms.

"I should hope I'm more than that to you."

Rachel smiled up at him before she spoke again.

"You are. You're my best friend, my love, my confidant…you mean so much to me, Jess. I know I'm lucky to have found you, and that you fit into my life so well."

"We're meant to be, so of course I would fit into your life and you would fit into mine."

"That's true," Rachel admitted.

"I keep telling you, I'm always right."

Rachel giggled as she snuggled closer to her boyfriend.

"So you keep telling me," she attempted to say around a yawn.

Jesse chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Go to sleep, Rach. I know you're tired."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Always."

"Good," Rachel told him before resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

With a small smile, Jesse pressed another kiss to the top of his girlfriend's head before laying his head down close to hers and promptly joining her in dreamland.

* * *

**Translations:**

No. Quiero dormir un poco más = No. I want to sleep a little bit more

despertarse = wake up

¡Ahora! = now!

Callate = shut up


	49. Chapter 49

"Are you planning on leaving or something?" Jesse questioned when he saw the title of the list Rachel was making.

"We need to be prepared, Jesse," Rachel replied, looking up at him. "What if one or both of us lose our voices or get injured and can't dance? We can't let our team be disqualified or go into ruin because one or both of the leads aren't able to perform. I'm simply making a list of qualified stand-ins, should that become necessary."

"Does your mom know about this?"

"Yes. Although she did ask me the same question you did when I brought it up."

Jesse chuckled as he pulled up a chair next to Rachel's at her desk.

"If this will make you feel better, then I'm all for it. You should make sure to ask these people, too, though."

"I will," Rachel assured him. "I just wanted us to have a list we agreed on before I actually talked to them. Of course my Mom has to approve the choices, too."

"Shouldn't we include Jack in on this approval as well? He's the assistant coach, after all."

"We will. Now, if you were unable to perform, who would you deem qualified to temporarily replace you?"

* * *

"Did you buy an entire store or something?" Holly asked as she walked into Melina's room.

Melina turned around to give her friend a questioning look before she realized what Holly had been talking about.

"You mean the boxes?" She asked. At Holly's nod, she explained. "My dad stopped by yesterday with the rest of my things. We talked; he explained why he sent me here and why he thought it was important for me to stay."

"Dominic mentioned your dad was here, but he didn't say much after that. Things are good with you two now, then?"

"Getting there," Melina agreed with a smile. "He said he wasn't sure how much he'd be able to visit, but he'd keep in touch."

"How was your date?" Holly inquired, changing the subject as she looked through a box of clothes near Melina's bed.

"Wonderful. We went to this Greek restaurant near the studio Alec's parents own. He asked me out on a second date."

"Good. You deserve to be happy, Lina," Holly told her before holding up a dark blue shirt. "Can I borrow this?"

"Uh, sure," Melina replied before pulling another box over to her closet.

"Just how many boxes did your dad bring?"

"Four."

"Four boxes of clothes?"

"It's not like they're big boxes. My dad just kind of put them in whatever boxes he could find," Melina responded before changing the subject. "What's my brother up to, anyway?"

"Your mom wanted his help with something, and I wanted to talk to you anyway, so I opted to do that instead of getting roped into helping with whatever it is he's helping with."

"I thought you two were going to go see a movie today?"

"We were, but then we looked at the movie listings and couldn't really find anything we wanted to see. When are you going out with Alec again?"

"I don't know. We didn't really set anything in stone. I talked to him for a little bit yesterday, but he's helping out at his parents' studio, so it's not like he's just waiting around for me or something."

"Are you two going to Rachel's party tomorrow night?"

"Rachel is having another party?"

"Well, it's more like we all just hang out in the basement type of thing, but basically, yes. Listen to her and Jesse sing a few times, watch a few musicals."

"She didn't mention anything about it to me."

"She said she sent everyone a text this morning. Where's your phone?"

Melina stopped hanging up her clothes and walked over to her desk before she replied.

"It was on my desk…" she said, clearly confused.

"I'll call it," Holly volunteered, taking her own phone out of her pocket and dialing Melina's number.

After two unsuccessful calls, Holly sent her friend a questioning look.

"You didn't have it on silent, did you?"

"No."

"Did you go anywhere this morning?"

"Just downstairs to practice. I probably left it down there. I'll be right back."

"You have rehearsal space in your basement?" Holly asked, following her friend.

"Dominic never told you that?"

"No."

"It's nothing spectacular like Rachel's set-up, just a mirror and a bar, but it works. Come on, I'll show you."

* * *

"Sweetie," Hiram called as he knocked on the door to his daughter's bedroom. "Your Dad, Mom, and Jack want to talk to you."

A few seconds later, Rachel opened her door, eyeing her parents with a confused look.

"Is everything okay, Daddy?"

"I was concerned about the reason for your list, so I spoke to Jack and your dads," Shelby explained.

"I told you, it's just a precaution. In case something bad happens. I'm fine, I swear," Rachel tried to explain.

"Are you feeling okay, sweetie?" Hiram questioned.

"I feel fine, Daddy. It's just…this is the first time I've felt like I'm really part of a team. Just because I'm talented doesn't mean I'm immune from sickness or injury. Maybe it wouldn't affect a competition, but I know I'd feel horribly if my being sick or injured caused the team to not make it as far as I know we can."

"We believe you, honey," Leroy told her. "We only ask that you tell us if you're not feeling well or you think something is wrong."

"You know I would, Dad, but I promise, if something happens or I'm not feeling well, I'll let you know."

"You know, it kind of makes sense, if you think about it," Jack added a few moments later, earning him confused looks from the rest of the group.

"Rachel making a list of acceptable replacements makes sense to you?" Shelby questioned.

"Yes. Think about it. Where does Rachel want to be? Broadway. Lead roles on Broadway have understudies. Any lead role in any production has an understudy, really."

"Exactly!" Rachel agreed, with a beaming smile for her soon-to-be-step-father. As her parents turned to leave, she spoke again. "Have you made a decision about tomorrow night?" she inquired hopefully.

"You can have your get-together with your friends," Hiram told her with a smile. "I'll bring home some food from the restaurant if you give me a list before I leave tomorrow morning. Your Dad said he would take you to the store in the morning to get everything you need. Jack and your Mom have agreed to help with the set-up."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Rachel exclaimed as she hugged each of her parents and then went back into her room to make the necessary lists for tomorrow.

* * *

"No phone?" Holly asked when she saw Melina's disappointed look after searching the basement.

"I found my phone, but I missed Alec's call," Melina answered, sliding the phone into her pocket as she spoke.

"Call him back."

"Straight to voicemail."

"Maybe he's teaching. Tasha probably knows, you could ask her."

"I don't want to do that. She's not his answering service."

"Fine, I'll ask her."

"Holly, it's okay, really. I think I'm just going to rehearse a little bit anyway. Dominic's probably looking for you by now, too," Melina told her friend as she pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"Did you leave him a message at least?"

"Yeah, and I got Rachel's text, too."

Holly hugged her friend before she spoke again.

"If you need anything, just let me know. You're my friend, Lina. I might be dating your brother, but that doesn't affect our friendship."

"I know," Melina reassured her with a smile. "Thank you."

"I suppose I should go make sure Dominic doesn't get into trouble, he has a tendency to do that when I'm not around."

Melina laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"He does. I'm sure he's probably in the kitchen eating whatever reward my mom gave him, so I'd check there first."

"Good idea. Thanks, Lina," Holly said before turning around and walking back upstairs.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, Melina set it on a nearby table before pressing the play button on the CD player and beginning her dance.

* * *

"Rach?" Jesse called as he walked into the basement of Shelby's the next day

"Over here," Rachel returned from her spot near the movie projector.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to make sure we have a variety of movies for everyone to choose from. I don't want them to feel like they  _have_  to watch a musical."

"Your Dad is looking for you. He said if you want to go to the store, he wants to go now."

"I'm not finished. I still have more movies to get."

"Where's your list?"

"How do you know I have a list?"

"Are you really asking me that question?" Jesse asked as he gave her an incredulous look.

"Just checking," Rachel told him with a grin. "You know me better than anyone. I love you."

"I love you, too. Now go, before your dad leaves without you."

Rachel nodded, leaning over to steal a quick kiss from her boyfriend before promptly making her way up the stairs.

* * *

"I'm sorry, I'm almost ready," Kurt said, opening the door to his bedroom at the sound of the knock.

"Relax, we have a little bit. I'm early," Blaine told him with a laugh. "Besides, I'm sure if anyone would be forgiven for being a little late, it's you."

"That's very true," Kurt agreed.

"Sometimes I think Rachel could have a second career as an event planner if the whole Broadway thing doesn't work out."

Kurt laughed as he nodded in agreement.

"Definitely. Just don't tell her that. Broadway has been her dream since she was little. I don't want to do or say anything to jinx that."

"I'm sure she'll make it. She has the talent and the drive. I never thought a female version of Jesse could exist. Then I met Rachel."

"I know what you mean. Meeting Jesse for the first time was kind of surreal. I mean, I'm happy for her, and her meeting Jesse led to us meeting, which you know I'm grateful for, but it's still weird to think about. Jack and Shelby are the same way. So are Rachel's dads."

"My parents kind of are, too. In their own way. Do you think your dad and your mom were that way?"

"From the stories my aunt tells, I think so. I wish I could have gotten to know her better, and that she wouldn't have died. Then again, maybe things would have been different and we wouldn't have met."

"We're soul mates. We were destined to meet and be together. Maybe it wouldn't have happened exactly the same way, but I'm confident we would have met eventually. Things would have worked out for us, even if you hadn't transferred or you still had your mom."

Kurt smiled at his boyfriend before walking over to him and giving him a quick kiss.

"I love the way you think. Now, I'm ready, so we should go before my best friend decides she won't forgive me for being late."

Blaine chuckled as he followed Kurt, both calling out to Burt to have a good night on their way out.

* * *

"Where's all the  _comida_ , Berry?  _Tengo mucha hambre_ ," Santana asked once everyone had settled in the basement.

"Everything is set up on the tables in the corner, and there's water, juice, and soda in the coolers underneath, you can help yourself," Rachel responded from her seat next to Jesse on one of the couches.

" _Gracias_."

* * *

"So, my beautiful matchmaker, have you found Tasha's soul mate yet?" Jesse joked as he reached up to play with Rachel's hair.

Rachel looked over to one of her newest friends before answering her boyfriend's question.

"I don't think she's met him yet."

"What makes you say that?"

"Just a feeling. I was thinking one of her dance challenges could be fun tonight, though."

"I agree. Did you grab both of our iPods or just yours?"

"Yours was in my room, so I brought that one down here, too. I hope that's okay."

"It's perfectly fine," Jesse reassured her before pressing a kiss to her temple. "I was going to volunteer to go upstairs and get it, though I'm pretty comfortable, so I didn't really want to move anyway."

Rachel giggled as she turned her head to steal a kiss from her boyfriend.

"I love you, and thank you for helping me with this."

"I love you, too, and you're welcome," Jesse told her before standing and holding out his hand. "Dance with me?"

Rachel smiled as she placed her hand in Jesse's and let him pull her up.

"Always," she responded, following him towards the stage, where Puck and Blaine were currently singing.

* * *

"Stop pouting and have some fun," Marina demanded as she walked over to her younger sister.

"I am  _not_  pouting and I  _am_  having fun," Tasha retorted.

"Could've fooled me."

"I didn't ask for your opinion."

"I'm sad that Edmund had to go back to Boston already, but I'm not standing here pouting."

"Don't you have a twin to bother?" Tasha asked with a sigh.

"He's dancing with Melina. I bothered him this morning, threw in a little bossing around," Marina answered with a shrug. "Lighten up,  _младшая сестра_ , and have some fun."

"Good, you found Tasha," Rachel said as she walked up to the sisters, a bright smile on her face.

"Am I in trouble?" Tasha asked.

Rachel laughed as she shook her head.

"No, not at all. Jesse and I were talking about our New York trip earlier, and we remembered that you had done a dance challenge with Marina's iPod. We were hoping you would be willing to host another one."

"Uh, sure," Tasha answered, though she was still a little confused.

"Jesse and I have our iPods down here, you can use either or both. Whenever you're ready."

"Tasha can choose the music, I'll be the judge," Marina decided.

"Fantastic," Rachel agreed with a grin.

"Come on,  _старшая сестра_ , let's get started," Tasha said, looping her arm through Marina's as they followed Rachel.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Alec asked as he saw Melina quickly sit down after finishing their dance.

"Your sister sure knows how to torture people," Melina responded a few seconds later, making Alec chuckle.

"Which sister of mine are you talking about?"

"Both, actually."

"Welcome to my world," Alec told her with a laugh. "Do you want some water or something?"

"Water, please."

"I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here," Melina responded as Alec walked away.

"I never knew you knew all those different dance styles," Tasha said as she took a seat next to her friend.

"I haven't danced like that in a long time and I'm sure my body will be cursing me tomorrow for doing it."

"I doubt that. You and Alec are still the reigning dance challenge champions, though."

"Someday I'm going to make you a part of your own challenge," Melina told her with a laugh.

Tasha grinned at her friend before she spoke again.

"I have no doubt that you will," she assured her. "You had fun, though, didn't you?"

Melina smiled at her friend as she nodded.

"I did. I brought that movie you wanted to borrow, too. It's in my bag. Remind me to give it to you before either of us leaves."

"I will. I'm going to go bother Marina some more, have fun with Alec," Tasha told her before walking across the room to where the older girl was standing.

"Everything okay?" Alec asked as he handed a bottle of water to his girlfriend.

"Yeah, I was just telling Tasha that I found the movie she wanted to borrow and brought it with me," Melina answered after taking a drink of the water. "She was also apparently impressed with my dance skills."

"You impressed my mother in New York, too. She keeps telling me to ask you to come in and demonstrate some different dance styles for one of her classes."

"I'd be happy to, as long as it's before rehearsals start again…which is Monday."

"No word from Juilliard or Marymount College?"

Melina shook her head before she answered.

"No. Shelby and Jack have both said probably end of January, early February. I'd love to hear before then, but I'm not going to get my hopes up that I will. I don't really want to think about it right now, though. I want to spend time with you and have fun with my friends. Relaxing would be good, too."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

"Are you ready to sing your song, Berry?" Puck asked as he approached Rachel and Jesse.

"What song are you talking about, Noah?" Rachel wondered.

" _Auld Lang Syne_. You know; the song you sing every New Years' Eve."

"Of course, I remembered, Noah. Jesse and I were just talking about it."

"Well, were you planning on singing it or just standing here admiring each other?" Puck questioned, earning an annoyed look from Rachel and a chuckle from Jesse.

"Come on, Noah, let's go warm up," Rachel added, walking purposefully towards the stage.

"Always such a drama queen," Puck commented with a laugh as he followed his friend.

"He acts like he's just figuring that out," Santana put in as she walked up to stand beside Jesse. "Anyone who spends even a short amount of time with her knows that."

Jesse chuckled again as he nodded in agreement.

"However true that might be, you have to admit she wouldn't be Rachel Berry if she weren't a drama queen."

" _Nadie te ha preguntado_ ," Santana promptly responded.

* * *

"Santana stole your phrase," Dominic informed his girlfriend as he joined her near the stage.

"I heard," Holly told him. "I gave her permission to use it. I just thought she'd use it on Puck, not Jesse."

"She'll probably use it on everyone at some point."

"Well, you should feel special, then. I only use that phrase when talking to you."

"I'm not so sure I should feel special about that, my love."

"I am."

"Of course, you are," Dominic agreed with a chuckle before changing the subject. "Have you had fun tonight?"

Holly smiled as she nodded.

"I know this probably isn't how you pictured us spending our first New Years' Eve, but I've had a lot of fun tonight."

"No, not exactly," Dominic admitted, "but I think this is better. I've had fun, too. Besides, we'll have plenty of New Years' Eves to spend together, right?"

Holly looked up at her boyfriend, a questioning look in her eyes, before she answered.

"Of course, we will. Why wouldn't we?"

"No reason. Just checking, that's all."

"Dominic."

"Everything is fine, I promise," Dominic told her before leaning down to brush his lips with hers, hoping to distract her.

* * *

"Were you able to get a hold of your dad?" Blaine asked as Kurt returned to his side.

"Yes. We talked for a little while, wished each other a happy new year and made plans for lunch tomorrow. He said something about an old recipe of my mom's that my aunt said she'd help him make. I'm not sure if I should be excited or afraid."

Blaine chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"I'm not sure, either. You'll have to let me know how it goes."

"Oh, I will."

"I overheard Puck saying something about Rachel singing every New Years' Eve?"

Kurt smiled and nodded.

"Yes. I don't remember how exactly it became tradition, I think it started with her dads, but ever since she heard the song one year, she decided she was going to sing it every year."

"That sounds like Rachel. Jesse mentioned something about an alternate lead list, too. He seemed concerned that Rachel was trying to downplay something. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

"Aside from the fact that it's completely in-character? No. I'll talk to her, though, figure it out. She can't resist telling me everything."

"I'm inclined to agree with you. I haven't known Rachel all that long, but considering the industry her future career is in and how serious she seems to be about being a good leader, it doesn't seem very worrisome. I think Jesse is worrying because he's thinking about it as her boyfriend and not her co-lead," Blaine theorized.

"I'm ninety-nine percent sure that's exactly the situation…but we both know Jesse probably isn't the only one concerned, so I'll get it figured out. Right now, I'd like to enjoy her song and then I plan on talking her into letting us watch  _Moulin Rouge_ ," Kurt decided.

Blaine laughed as he looped his arm through Kurt's.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

"Ready, Rach?" Jesse asked as he took a seat at the keyboard and Puck grabbed his guitar.

Rachel smiled at both boys as she nodded.

"Always," she responded before turning back around and walking up to the microphone.

Once Jesse and Puck had played the introductory notes, Rachel took her cue and began to sing.

_Should_ _old_ _acquaintance be forgot,_  
and never brought to mind ?  
Should  _old_ _acquaintance be forgot,  
and _ _old_ _lang syne ?_

_For auld lang syne, my_ _dear_ _,_  
for auld lang syne,  
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,  
for auld lang syne

* * *

Translations:

comida = food

Tengo mucha hambre = I'm very hungry

Gracias = thank you

младшая сестра = little sister

старшая сестра = big/older sister

Nadie te ha preguntado = nobody asked you


	50. Chapter 50

**Disclaimer:**  The only parts of this story I own are my OCs. The rest...not mine, unfortunately.

* * *

"So, are you going to tell me what that cryptic comment last night was all about?" Holly demanded as Dominic drove her home.

"It's nothing," Dominic responded.

"Obviously it's not  _nothing_ , Dominic. Why are you suddenly hiding things from me? You've never done that before."

"I'm not hiding anything from you."

"Well it sure as hell seems like you are. Did I do something wrong?"

"It's not you, trust me."

"Then  _what is it_? I thought we established that we could tell each other anything and we wouldn't judge each other. I'm trying really hard not to jump to conclusions, but I can guarantee you that that won't last long."

Dominic sighed before he spoke again.

"My mom said something the other day that's just been eating at me," he revealed.

"What did she say?" Holly inquired.

"She's never approved of my choice to pursue dancing, though she's never come right out and said it. She's very critical of everything and everybody. Nothing is ever good enough unless it's done her way. She told me that I better find someone with a good head on their shoulders, not a dreamer like me, because one day I won't be able to dance and then I'll be stuck without a way to provide for myself."

"So when you told her that I shared your dream, she basically flipped out," Holly concluded.

"That's putting it lightly," Dominic admitted.

"I'm not going to break up with you just because your mother refuses to see I'm perfect for you."

"I tried to tell her that you had a backup plan, and I'm working on mine, but as long as dance is my first choice, she'll be forever critical."

"Okay, I get how that could upset you, but what was with the question about spending many more New Year's Eves together?"

Dominic shrugged a little before he answered.

"I love you and I want to be with you, but I would understand if you didn't want to deal with the over-critical mother of your boyfriend."

"So you were…what? Giving me an option to end this now?" Holly asked incredulously. "Do you think so little of me, of us, that you'd think I can't handle a little criticism from someone who hasn't even met me nor seems to care about our relationship?"

"No. Damn it."

"Then explain what you meant."

Once he had pulled into Holly's driveway, Dominic turned the car off before moving to face his currently-irate girlfriend.

"I don't have a choice whether or not I get to deal with her constant, never-ending criticism. I'm giving you a choice. Not because I think you can't handle it, but because I know how much it sucks."

"So you gave me a promise ring even though you were planning on telling me I could leave?" Holly questioned.

"I gave you the promise ring because I love you and I wanted you to have something tangible to remind you of how I feel about you. I hate saying goodbye to you every night."

"So why are you trying to tell me goodbye forever?"

"I'm not. I don't want to. I just don't want you to end up being miserable."

Holly reached across the car for Dominic's hands, smiling a little when he laced their fingers together.

"I want to believe that underneath all of that criticism, your mother truly loves you and wants what's best for you, but I haven't ever met her, so I really don't know if that's true or not," she began. "What I  _do_  know is true is that I love you, and I want to be with you. If your mother decides she wants to continue to criticize you instead of supporting you, it's her loss. Regardless of whether or not she ever changes her tune,  _I_  support you, your dad and Nell support you, and your siblings support you. I hate saying goodbye to you every night, too, by the way. I'm not saying goodbye to you forever, though. I'm a lot harder to get rid of than that."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say," Dominic told her before leaning forward to capture her lips with his.

"I'd still like to meet her, though," Holly told him once they ended their kiss. "Maybe I can get her to change her mind."

"Somehow, I don't think I'd be completely surprised if you managed to just that. If you really want to meet her, she's supposed to be in town at some point today."

"Well, then I guess that means we'll have to postpone the stay in and cuddle day I had planned for us."

"We'll have one of those before we go back to school and rehearsals, I promise."

"I'm holding you to that," Holly responded with a smile. "We should go in, though, I need to get ready and my mom will worry if I don't let her know I'm home soon."

"We?"

"Yes,  _we_. You know as well as I do that my family is always happy to see you. My mom said my grandparents are here, too, and you know how much my grandma adores you."

"That's very true," Dominic agreed as they got out of the car and began walking towards the house.

* * *

"Where did you say Dominic was, again?"

Penelope looked up at the sound of the voice, the owner being her husband's ex and not exactly her favorite person.

"He's with Holly, his girlfriend. They said they'd be here in a little while, Holly wanted to stop at her house and change before they came over," Penelope answered, doing her best not to sound annoyed.

"Were they out all night?" Susan questioned.

"No. They were at Holly's cousin's house, along with the others in their group of friends, for a small New Year's Eve get-together. Shelby thought it would be best for the kids to stay at her house overnight instead of trying to drive home late."

"Well, I guess I can't argue with that logic. Shelby would be Holly's aunt, then?"

"Yes, and she's also Dominic's show choir coach."

"Has he thought of a back-up plan yet? He can't dance forever."

Penelope sighed before she answered.

"He's looking at a few different things, but he hasn't made a decision yet. The important thing is he has other things that he's interested in. He's also very smart, so even if pursuing dance doesn't work out for him, he'll have plenty of options for other things he can do. Just please don't badger him about it. He's nervous enough as it is, I'd really rather not add to that."

"What does he have to be nervous about? School?"

"He auditioned for Barnard College and Juilliard," Anthony reminded her as he walked into the room. "He's waiting to hear back from them, which probably won't be for a few weeks yet."

"Right. I'm still not a fan of this whole pursuing dance thing, no matter how prestigious the school."

"Well, you need to put that aside and support Dominic, like Tony and I have. This is what Dominic wants to do; it's what he's passionate about. It's what makes him happy. Traveling around the world and hardly ever being in one place for very long is what makes you happy, but that's not what will make Dominic happy."

"Does he even know I'm here?" Susan demanded.

"Yes, I just talked to him," Anthony responded. "He said they were just leaving Holly's, so they should be here shortly."

"I suppose she's a dancer, too."

"She is," Penelope confirmed, "but if you say anything to upset either of them, I  _will_  have to ask that you leave."

"Why can't either of you be sensible for once? You need to stop relying on your emotions so much."

Tired of arguing with Susan, Penelope stood and began to walk towards the door.

"I'm going to go check on the kids," she said before walking out the door.

"Before Dominic gets here, I want to make something clear," Anthony told his ex. "You gave me full custody of Dominic and have never been interested in helping to raise him, which means it was completely my choice. If you love him like you claim to, you need to put your own feelings aside and support him. Penelope and I have raised our children to pursue what they're passionate about, what will make them happy in the long run. We have always told them that they could be anything they wanted. Dominic's choice is to pursue dance. Juilliard and Barnard College don't let just anyone audition, either."

"What if I don't feel I can support him?"

"Then you can leave. I don't want you here upsetting him, or Holly."

"He could have at least found a girlfriend who didn't have the same foolish dream as he does."

"That so-called foolish dream of theirs is one of the things that brought them together. Penelope and I like Holly, and if you give her a chance, I think you will, too. If nothing else, give her a chance because you care about Dominic."

"He loves her?" Susan inquired.

"Very much," Anthony confirmed, "and she loves him just as much in return."

"She makes him happy?"

"Yes, which you'll see for yourself as soon as they get here."

* * *

After a few more minutes of talking with Anthony, Susan turned her head at the sound of the door opening. She expected to hear two voices, but heard none.

"I thought you said Holly  _and_  Dominic were going to be here?" Susan inquired.

"They were supposed to," Penelope answered.

"I'll go see what's going on," Anthony told them before walking out of the room.

"You talked to Dominic before you decided to visit, didn't you?" Penelope questioned.

"Of course, I did. He's my son."

"What did you say to him?"

"I just told him I was concerned about his career choice and I thought he should find someone with a good head on her shoulders."

Penelope sighed as she rolled her eyes.

"Just so we're clear, Holly  _does_  have a good head on her shoulders. She's very smart. She has been going back and forth on whether she wants to pursue dance full-time, or pursue nursing and keep dancing as a hobby or only pursue it part-time. She speaks two languages fluently, and has learned quite a bit of a third. She's taking extra classes in school so that she can pursue either career choice. Aside from all of that, she makes Dominic happy, which  _should_  be the most important thing to you, too, if you love him like you claim to," she said before walking out of the room to find her husband and step-son.

Alone in the kitchen, Susan was surprised to see a blonde girl she vaguely recognized from her various visits over the years walk into the room a short while later. A tall, dark-haired boy followed closely behind her and they seemed to be oblivious to her presence. As she silently watched them, she noticed the way they interacted.

"It's Susan, right?"

Startled, Susan shook her head to clear her thoughts before turning to the blonde-haired girl.

"Yes…and you're Penelope's daughter."

"My name is Melina, but yes…and this is my boyfriend, Alec. Alec, this is Dominic's mom, Susan."

"Nice to meet you," Alec said politely.

"We just needed to get some water out of the fridge, I'm sure you're waiting to apologize to Dominic, so I'll leave you alone. It was nice seeing you," Melina said, grabbing Alec's hand and leading him out of the room.

Alone once again, Susan couldn't help but smile a little bit as she noticed the similarities between mother and daughter. Dominic and Anthony were a lot alike, too. With a sigh, she stood and went in search of her ex and their son.

* * *

"Dominic?" Anthony inquired as he knocked on his son's bedroom door.

"You can come in, Dad," Dominic responded, mostly because he didn't really want to be alone.

"Where's Holly?"

"At her house."

Anthony sent his son a look, telling him that he clearly wasn't amused, nor was he taking that for an answer.

"We started arguing about her meeting Mom. Holly doesn't think Mom will approve the way Nell does…and you know how Holly is, she wants people to like her, even if she doesn't always make it seem that way. I tried to reassure her that everything would be fine, but she didn't believe me, and I don't blame her."

"Did she break up with you?"

Dominic shrugged as he sighed.

"She might as well have," he said, setting Holly's promise ring on his desk. "She said she was done not being good enough, handed me back her ring, and then stormed up to her room."

"You gave her a ring?" Susan asked, unable to keep herself out of the conversation anymore.

"I gave her a promise ring shortly before Christmas, yes," Dominic confirmed. "I also intended to ask her to marry me at some point down the road, but unless she starts speaking to me again, that won't be happening."

"How can you be sure she's the one you want to spend the rest of your life with?"

"You wouldn't understand," Dominic snapped, not in the mood to deal with his mother.

"Try me," Susan challenged.

"I love her, Mom. I'd do anything for her. She makes me want to be a better person, to do my best at whatever I choose to do. She makes me laugh, she intrigued me from the moment I saw her…and I hadn't even spoken to her at that point. I never thought I'd see her again…and then she shows up in my dance class at Carmel. I teased her and pressed her buttons until she let me in enough to get to know the real Holly. I wouldn't have given her that promise ring if I wasn't serious about her."

"She seems rather insecure about your relationship, if you ask me. You don't need to be with a dancer, Dominic. You need to be with someone who has a good head on their shoulders."

"She  _does_! She's incredibly talented, incredibly smart. If you would meet her before judging her, you'd know that. Doesn't my happiness mean  _anything_  to you?"

"Of course, it does," Susan countered. "I want you to be happy…but I also don't want you to have to worry about how much longer you'll be able to have a career."

"I've been looking into other options, but my first choice is dance. I auditioned for  _Juilliard_ , Mom. Juilliard."

"I know."

"No, you don't. I'm sorry that you felt that you couldn't pursue your dream, but I don't feel that way. Holly is the one I choose to be with. I don't want anyone else."

"You say that now. You're young, Dominic."

"I don't care. I know being with her is right. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it work."

"Even if that means staying here in Ohio while she finishes school?"

"No! Holly wouldn't let me, no matter how much she doesn't want to be so far away from me. She knows, she  _understands_ , what New York…what Juilliard…means to me. She'd probably buy me a plane ticket and put me on the plane to New York herself is she had to."

"That sounds like Holly," Anthony agreed, with Penelope nodding silently beside him.

"She didn't give you her necklace back, did she?" Penelope questioned when both Susan and Anthony were silently thinking.

Confused by his step-mother's question, Dominic shook his head.

"No. She was still wearing that when she stormed off. She always wears it."

"What necklace?" Susan wondered.

"I was at the mall with Melina and Liv one day, when I saw a necklace that reminded me of Holly. It's nothing fancy, just a ballet toe shoes charm on a chain. When I gave it to her, she seemed surprised, so I teasingly told her I could always take it back. She told me I shouldn't dare to even try. That necklace was also how Nell recognized her the day she surprised me by showing up here."

"She puts him in his place quite often, too," Penelope offered with a small smile for her step-son.

"Which is generally done in French," Dominic added, returning his step-mother's smile. "It's certainly helped me pick up the language faster. I wasn't left with much of a choice."

Watching and listening to Dominic talk about Holly, Susan found herself more and more inclined to believe Penelope and Anthony when they said Dominic had found his match. She realized she made a mistake and found herself wanting to meet this girl.

"I'm sorry, Dominic," Susan said, inserting herself back into the conversation. "I just want you to be happy, you know that, right?"

"I want to believe that," Dominic answered. "Holly makes me happy, Mom. Just give her a chance. If she gives  _me_  another one, that is."

"I'm sure she will," Penelope added. "She loves you, too, sweetheart. You know how she is; you affectionately call her drama queen."

"She  _is_  a drama queen, but she keeps things interesting."

* * *

As Dominic talked with his parents across town, Holly was doing the same with hers.

"Holly, be reasonable," Sara tried, earning a snicker of amusement from her husband.

"I think you need to remember which child you're talking to, dear," Nick reminded her, making Holly smile a little.

"I understand why you'd feel insecure," Sara tried again. "I just would like for you think things through some more before making rash decisions. You want to be with Dominic, and Dominic wants to be with you. You won over his father and step-mother pretty quickly."

"They don't think I'm some air-headed girl who will let Dominic do whatever he wants, no questions asked."

"Did Dominic say that's what she thought?" Nick questioned.

"Well, no," Holly admitted. "He actually said she thought he needed someone with a good head on their shoulders."

"Do you really think that doesn't describe you?" Sara asked her daughter.

Holly closed her eyes as she shrugged. When she opened them, both of her parents could see she was fighting back tears as she spoke.

"Some days I still think I'm that stupid teenage girl who hurt you both so much, who was always put down, told the thing she loved most was stupid. I don't want to be that girl. I want to go to college, whether I pursue nursing or dance, and have a career. I have goals. I'm not an airhead. I thought I was done being judged before being given the chance to show who I really am."

"I'm afraid that doesn't exactly go away, sweetheart," Nick told her softly as he hugged her tightly and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Your mom, brother, and I will always believe in you. So will Dominic. You two will inevitably fight, I don't know of a couple who doesn't, but at the end of the day, you still love each other and want to make your relationship work."

"You also did a very adult thing by putting your feelings about Dominic moving to New York aside to go there and support him," Sara added. "We're both very proud of you for that. I'm sure it meant a lot to Dominic, too."

"He probably hates me right now. I gave him back my promise ring," Holly revealed.

Reaching over to the nightstand where Holly's phone lay, Nick picked it up and handed it to her.

"Call Dominic," he encouraged. "I'm sure he'll understand and you'll have your ring back in no time."

As Holly contemplated her father's words, Sara exchanged a look with him before speaking again.

"If you decide to see him tonight, you have our permission to stay with him…so long as it's okay with his parents, too."

"Show her the girl those who love you know was always inside you," Nick added.

Holly brushed away the tears she'd let fall before hugging both of her parents.

"I love you both, you know that, right?"

"We do, honey," Sara reassured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before standing up. "Now, call Dominic. I have a feeling you won't wait long for a response."

After watching her parents leave the room, Holly opened her phone and pressed the speed dial number that would connect her with the boy she loved. Her father was right, she didn't have to wait long for a response.

"Holly?" Dominic answered.

"I'm sorry for being such a drama queen," Holly responded.

* * *

Later that night, as Susan, Anthony, and Penelope talked in the living room, they were all surprised to hear the doorbell ring. What surprised them even more was Dominic calling that he'd get it.

"Is that Holly?" Susan guessed.

"Most likely," Penelope confirmed as she stood and began to walk out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"To spy on them," Anthony answered, earning an annoyed look from his wife.

"It's not  _spying_. I'd simply like Susan to see what I'm talking about."

"You might as well follow her, she's not taking no for an answer," Anthony told his ex.

Susan smiled a little as she followed Penelope around the corner.

* * *

"Hi. My name is Holly Nicole Evans. My boyfriend affectionately refers to me as 'drama queen'. I'm beginning to see he was right, but I'm afraid I can't change that and I hope he can live with that because I can't live without him."

Dominic chuckled as he listened to Holly's little speech.

"How long did you rehearse that?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I just thought of it while I was waiting for you to answer the door," Holly answered, returning Dominic's smile.

"You're missing a piece of jewelry."

"I am. You wouldn't happen to know where it is, would you?"

"I do, in fact."

"What kind of reward can I offer you to get it back?"

"Well…that depends on how badly you want it back."

Instead of responding to Dominic with words, Holly slid her arms around his neck and stood on her toes to kiss him. Thrilled, and still slightly unbelieving, that Holly was here, Dominic slid his arms around her waist as he returned her kiss.

Once they ended the kiss and Holly was standing flat on her feet again, Dominic pulled her ring out of his pocket. Taking her hand, he slid it back onto her finger.

"Please don't take this off every time we fight. I gave this to you for a reason…and it hurt that you took it off, that you felt like I didn't mean what I told you when I gave it to you."

Holly looked down as she spoke.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking rationally, and I immediately regretted it."

"If you feel like you're not ready for that type of commitment, you need to tell me now."

"Don't be stupid," Holly told him, looking up at him with tears forming in her eyes. "I'm just still trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone loves me that much. I mean, I know my parents love me, and Liam does, too, even though we annoy each other most of the time. They're family, though. I was a big pile of self-doubt when I transferred to Carmel. I'm not as strong as my cousin; I didn't inherit all of those tough Corcoran genes. I didn't believe I was worthy of love."

"Holly."

"Just let me finish," Holly demanded through her tears. "Then I met you, and even though you drove me crazy most of the time, you made me laugh and smile…you made me feel like it was okay to be myself. You didn't criticize me for speaking French instead of English, even though I know you couldn't always understand me. You get a kick out of my dramatics and just tell me I'm being a drama queen instead of rolling your eyes at me. I'm still kind of learning who this new version of myself is…and it's scary."

"I don't want you to ever feel like you can't be yourself."

"You never have."

"I want you to meet my Mom. I want her to see what I see. What my dad and Nell see, what my siblings see. Liv even told me I better not have done anything to make you mad at me or she'd hurt me."

Holly giggled through her tears at Dominic's words.

"She's fourteen, and she's tiny. I'm not sure what she could do to you."

"She might look tiny, but she still hits really hard."

Holly laughed as she hugged him.

"I'll protect you," she promised, doing her best to contain her laughter.

"Sure, you will."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Penelope said as she walked up to the newly reunited couple, "but it's rather cold outside and I'd hate for either of you get sick. Plus you're making it cold in here."

"Sorry," Dominic apologized as he turned to step into the house, pulling Holly with him. Noticing his mother standing a few feet away from his step-mother, Dominic turned to her as he spoke again.

"Mom, this is my girlfriend, Holly. Holl, this is my mom, Susan."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Susan began. "I've heard a lot about you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Holly responded politely, unsure what else to say.

"I'm sure you two want to be alone, so I won't keep you long, but I was hoping we could chat for a little while."

"Um, sure," Holly agreed, looking up at her boyfriend with confusion in her eyes.

Keeping his arm around Holly's waist, Dominic began to walk with her, smiling when he felt her slide her arm around his waist as well.

* * *

"Did you finish your list?" Jesse asked as he walked into his girlfriend's room.

"I think so," Rachel answered. "I want you to look over it before I give it to my Mom."

"Of course, if you'll look over mine in return."

"Sure."

After exchanging their lists, Jesse and Rachel each took a few minutes to look over and think about the other's list.

"I think you have a solid list of people, Rach," Jesse told her, the first to speak. "As long as they all agree to this, that is. I was surprised you put Giselle on the list, though."

"I was trying to be objective," Rachel informed him. "Besides, she and I might not always see eye-to-eye, but we've started to find things we  _do_  agree on. It's a start."

"True."

"Do you think anyone will say no?"

"Honestly? I have no idea, but I doubt it. Are you thinking about talking to everyone together or each separately?"

"You mean as a group?" At Jesse's nod, Rachel continued. "I was thinking individually, but a group would probably work, too."

"We'll ask your Mom and Jack, since they have a say in this, too."

"Okay…but can we do that tomorrow? I haven't had you to myself in a while and I'd like to spend some time just the two of us."

"I was thinking the same thing," Jesse told her with a smile. "I picked out a musical and I added extra pillows and blankets to your bed. It's all ready for us to cuddle while we watch the movie."

"When did you do that?" Rachel wondered, turning to look at her bed.

"This afternoon, when you were out with your dads. I was also thinking we should complete our routines prior to beginning our movie. That way we don't have to worry about getting up once we're comfortable."

"I like the way you think."

Jesse flashed her a grin as he tugged on her hand to get her stand up.

"Of course, you do. I'm brilliant."

Rachel rolled her eyes good-naturedly as she laughed.

"Sometimes I wonder why I love you," she teased.

"Because we're perfect for each other," Jesse answered, still grinning.

"You're lucky I love you, you know. Not everyone would be willing to put up with that ego."

Jesse laughed as he leaned down to steal a kiss from Rachel.

"Maybe not, but you're not like everyone else, so that makes you especially qualified. We're talented and we know it, I don't see anything wrong with that."

Rachel beamed at him in the mirror as they began their routine.

"I don't, either," she agreed. "Are you going to tell me what musical you picked out?"

"You can guess," Jesse offered with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"That's not fair. You know there are far too many musicals in our combined musical library for me to just outright guess."

"While I agree that we do have quite a vast collection of exceptional musicals, and there's nothing wrong with that, you should know me well enough to be able to think of ones I would be likely to pick."

"Are you challenging me?"

"Maybe. Are you up for it if I am?"

"I'm Rachel Berry, future Tony award-winning Broadway superstar. Of course, I'm up for the challenge."

"That's what I thought," Jesse confirmed with a wink, making Rachel laugh before she began to think about what musical her boyfriend could have chosen.

* * *

"Remind me again why I thought planning a wedding would be fun," Shelby requested with a sigh as she set down another wedding magazine.

Jack chuckled as he moved the pile of magazines Shelby had created from the bed onto a nearby desk.

"Because you were younger and less practical?" he tried, earning a laugh from his fiancée.

"That's probably true," Shelby agreed. "If it weren't for my family, I'd say let's just elope."

"You wouldn't like that, either," Jack reminded her.

Shelby sighed, knowing he was right.

"I don't want, nor do I need, a big wedding, either, though. I want us to have a nice ceremony, with those closest to us there, and a nice reception to follow. I don't need a ball gown-type dress."

Jack was silent for a few moments while he thought about what other options they might have. When he came up with an idea, he spoke again.

"What about a destination wedding? One of my old co-workers in New York did that. She had it at a resort, so no one had to go very far for any of it. Plus they got a vacation out of the deal."

"We just went to New York; I'm not sure how possible that is, although I do like it."

"It's something to think about."

"I'm not rejecting your idea, Jack. I actually really like it. I just don't want to put financial strain on anyone just for them to attend my wedding."

"I know," Jack reassured her. "I just want to marry you, Shel. I don't really care where it happens."

Shelby smiled at him as she nodded in agreement.

"I feel the same way. I know Rachel has been looking at dresses with Kurt. Whether that's for ideas for her future wedding to Jesse or for our wedding, I'm not sure."

"Probably both," Jack guessed.

Shelby laughed as she nodded again.

"That's very true. Thank you, by the way, for offering your apartment to my parents."

"I could see how much all of you missed each other. I needed someone to take over my lease in order to avoid paying a large fee, so they seemed like the best candidates. It lets them have their own space, while still remaining close to their children and grandchildren."

"I'm still wrapping my head around my nephew teaching my father to play Wii golf."

Jack laughed as he nodded in agreement.

"I think he just enjoys spending time with his grandson, and if that means learning his games, then that's what he'll do. I think I heard them listening to some classic rock the other day, too."

"He gave me suggestions for songs Vocal Adrenaline could perform."

"He did?" Jack asked with a laugh.

"Yes, he did," Shelby confirmed. "I probably shouldn't have been, but I was surprised how many songs I agreed with, or that I already had on my list."

"You're right, you shouldn't be surprised. You two have always shared a love of music, often sharing the same taste in it as well."

"I really do appreciate you giving them a place to live. It means a lot to me to have them here…and I know Sara feels the same way."

"I'd do anything for you," Jack promised. "Including making sure you get a decent night's sleep. I know you're tired, you were up early with Hiram this morning making breakfast for the kids, let's go to bed."

Too tired to argue, Shelby simply nodded, changing into the clothes she slept in before curling up with Jack and almost immediately falling asleep.


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N:** I know Glee has never mentioned or done anything with a winter formal, and I'm not sure how much other schools, aside from those in my hometown, have them, but I figured it would be something fun for the couples to plan for/do.

Also, you all will find a lovely St. Berry treat at the end. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:**  My OCs are mine, the rest are not. :(

* * *

Once introductions had been made, Penelope could tell none of the three other occupants of the room really knew what to do now. Doing what seemed to come naturally to her, Penelope smiled at them as she spoke.

"Why don't we all go into the kitchen? I'll make some hot chocolate and you three can chat. I know Tony was looking forward to seeing you, too, Holly."

Unsure what to say, Holly simply gripped Dominic's hand as they followed his mother and step-mother into the kitchen. As they walked, Holly felt Dominic squeeze her hand in reassurance. She squeezed back to let him know she wasn't going anywhere this time.

"I thought was Holly's voice I heard. I didn't hear any French, so I couldn't be sure," Anthony commented with a smile as he saw Holly and Dominic walk into the kitchen behind Penelope and Susan.

"Am I in trouble?" Holly jokingly asked as she hugged Dominic's father.

"No, of course not," Anthony replied with a laugh. "We always enjoy having you around. Liv has even decided she wants to take French when she starts high school next year, so that she can speak it with you and Dominic."

"How long have you been speaking French?" Susan wondered.

"Since I can remember," Holly answered. "My dad is a French translator at the hospital here in Akron; he began teaching me when I was little. My parents both thought it was important for me to learn a second language. My mom always said she wished she had paid more attention in her high school French class. She's picked up a few things and remembers some others, but she isn't fluent like my dad and me."

"What does your mother do, if you don't mind me asking?"

"She's a nurse practitioner. She's the reason I'm considering becoming a nurse. I haven't really decided yet. I love to dance, and I have no intention of giving it up either way, but I'm not sure which I want to prefer. I've pretty much decided to apply to both nursing and dance schools…and then go from there, I guess."

"You've looked at colleges already?" Susan asked, clearly surprised.

"Not as actively as I probably should be, but yes. I was in New York with Dominic for his auditions, so I was able to see the campuses of Juilliard and Columbia. I've also been taking an extra class at school so that I'll have enough years of math and science, which I'd probably be doing horribly in if it weren't for Dominic."

"How did you two meet?"

"Shelby, her aunt and our show choir coach, enrolled her in Madame Nicole's dance class at Carmel. She had just transferred back from another school in the area," Dominic began.

"He got me in trouble on my first day by distracting me, and he refused to stop calling me 'new girl' until he came up with 'drama queen' as my new term of endearment," Holly added.

Susan smiled as she watched the way the two teenagers interacted and how at ease they seemed with each other. Holly also really did seem to have a good head on her shoulders, just as Anthony and Penelope had assured her that she did.

"You said Dominic was helping you with one of your classes?" Susan prompted Holly again.

"Yes. Chemistry. I hate it, but I need it for college. We made a deal that I would help him with his French if he helped me with my Chemistry…and things just kind of progressed from there as we spent more time together."

"I thought you already took two years of French?" Susan said to her son.

Dominic shook his head before he spoke again.

"No. I meant to take it my sophomore year, but it didn't fit into my schedule until this year. Even if I wasn't doing well, Holly has already charmed my French teacher, so I'm sure I could have used that to my advantage."

"Dominic!" Penelope admonished, though she knew he was joking.

Glancing at the clock, Susan reluctantly changed the subject.

"I'd love to stay and chat some more, but it's getting late and I have an early flight in the morning," she said. "If you don't mind, I'd like a few moments alone with Dominic. It was nice meeting you, Holly."

"I'm going to find Lina," Holly told her boyfriend, squeezing his hand again before turning Susan. "It was nice meeting you, too."

* * *

Once Holly, Penelope, and Anthony were out of the room, Dominic turned fearful eyes to his mother.

"Relax, Dominic," Susan told him. "I'm sorry that I judged Holly without meeting her first. I think she's exactly what you need, and she does have a good head on her shoulders. She seems very smart, but most importantly, she makes you happy."

"She  _is_  smart," Dominic agreed, "and she  _does_  make me happy."

"I can see that. Keep your grades up…and keep me posted about your acceptance to Juilliard and/or Barnard College. I know I don't always show it, but I  _am_  proud of you, Dominic."

"Will you be here for my graduation?" Dominic asked.

"Penelope already gave me the date. I'm going to call my boss in the morning and tell her I need that weekend off because my son is graduating. I'll call you tomorrow when I get settled in Charlotte."

"Okay. Have a safe trip."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

While Dominic and Susan talked downstairs, Holly made her way upstairs to Melina's room, knocking on the door and waiting for the older girl to answer. She didn't have to wait long.

"Holly? Are you okay?" Melina asked as she opened the door.

"I think so," Holly answered. "Dominic and his mom are talking alone in the kitchen. Distract me before I start freaking out and have another drama queen moment?"

"I need an opinion on a potential outfit for my date with Alec tomorrow," Melina told her. "I need someone to take pictures so I can send them to Kurt for final approval."

Holly nodded, following her friend into the room.

"Things with Alec are going well, then?" she inquired.

"Yes. I'm still not a fan of the whole him going back to New York in a couple of weeks thing, but I'll deal. I take it things are better between you and my brother?"

"We're good," Holly told her. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Melina laughed as she hugged her friend.

"I don't want to get rid of you, silly. You're one of the best friends I have here. You also just happen to be perfect for my brother, and I  _will_  call anyone out on their lie if they think otherwise."

"Did you talk to Dominic's mom?" Holly wondered.

"Not exactly…but I did make a comment that even surprised Alec."

"What did you say?"

"I just introduced myself and Alec, and then told Susan that I would leave her alone, since I was sure she was here to apologize to Dominic."

"I think some of that self-confidence I always knew was in there somewhere is starting to come back."

"I guess so," Melina agreed with a smile.

* * *

After walking his mother to the door, Dominic made his way to his sister's room, where he was positive Holly still was.

"You can come in, Dominic," Melina called from inside the room once he had knocked on the door.

Opening the door, he couldn't help but smile when he saw Holly looking through Melina's closet and picking out various items she wanted to borrow.

"Can you get her to stop pilfering my closet, please?" Melina requested with a laugh.

"Hey, it's not my fault you have cute clothes," Holly retorted as she walked over to Dominic.

"I think you've tortured my sister enough for one night, Holl. I found that movie you wanted to watch; maybe we can watch the whole thing before you have to leave."

"My parents said I could stay…as long as it's okay with yours," Holly reminded him as they walked down the hall towards his room.

"You're welcome to stay tonight, Holly," Penelope assured her as she walked out of a room across the hall from Melina's.

"Thank you," Holly told her.

"You're very welcome. I'll see you both for breakfast in the morning. Have a good night."

* * *

"What did your mom say?" Holly wondered as she settled in Dominic's arms.

"Apparently my French teacher isn't the only person you were able to charm," he responded. "She apologized and told me she approved of you."

"Good. I really am sorry for being such a drama queen. I just let my own insecurities get into my head."

Dominic hugged her tightly before he spoke.

"I love you, Holly. I've never said that to anyone, at least not to anyone who wasn't my family, before. You know that you've had my attention since the very beginning. I wish you'd stop doubting yourself."

"Me, too," Holly responded with a sigh. "I'll try, but I make no guarantees…and I love you, too."

"Good. Now be quiet so I can hear the movie."

Holly smiled at Dominic's teasing comment as she curled further into his arms and made a mental note to thank her parents again for letting her stay with Dominic for the night.

* * *

"Make it stop," Rachel whined as she heard the sound of her alarm clock.

Jesse chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I'm afraid the only way to make it stop is for you to get out of bed," he reluctantly told her.

"I don't want it to be Monday yet. I was enjoying my vacation."

"If we get going soon enough, we might have time to stop for coffee on the way."

"I'm holding you to that," Rachel told her boyfriend as she opened her eyes and followed him into her bathroom so they could begin their morning routines.

* * *

"Morning, Jack," Rachel greeted as she and Jesse walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Rachel. Good morning, Jesse," Jack replied, waiting for the two teens to notice the two to-go cups of coffee he had on the counter.

"Are those for us?" Jesse inquired after exchanging a confused look with his girlfriend.

"Yes. I doubt they're as good as the ones from the coffee shop, but I hope they'll do. Shelby mentioned you two usually stop for coffee on the way to school. I figured I'd save you the trip and the money."

Rachel hugged Jack before grabbing some fruit for breakfast.

"How long have you been awake?" she wondered.

"About an hour, I'm just waiting for your Mom before heading over to school. I didn't want to be in her way while she was getting ready, so I woke up a little bit before she did."

"Are you still teaching the music class this semester?" Jesse wondered.

"I plan on it. I think the team will benefit from having more of Shelby's time dedicated to them."

"I just hope we have less drama between now and Regionals than we did between the Invitational and Sectionals," Rachel commented.

"Me, too," Jesse agreed.

"Me, three," Jack added. "Shelby filled me in on what happened."

"Did my Mom show you the list of acceptable replacements that Jesse and I came up with?" Rachel wanted to know.

"Yes. I think they're all very good choices."

"Good. I'm glad you approve."

* * *

"Are we in trouble?" Andrea asked as she and five other members of Vocal Adrenaline, plus Rachel, Jesse, Shelby, and Jack sat in the music room later that day.

"No, not at all," Shelby reassured her. "Rachel and Jesse wanted to talk to the six of you about something that's important to them, though."

"Why just the six of us? Why not the whole team?" Giselle questioned.

"We'll explain, if you promise to hear us out," Rachel responded.

"Blaine and Santana, you two already know about this," Jesse began, "but for the other four of you…Rachel and I decided to make a list of acceptable replacements for ourselves, should something happen to one or both of us and we were unable to perform. Sort of like understudies in a show."

"I know you've never had a problem in the past, but you all know me well enough by now to know what I like to be over-prepared," Rachel added, earning nods of agreement from the other six members of her team.

"I assume there's some kind of order?" Chris wondered.

"Yes, there is. Before we tell you the order, we both want you all to know that we think you are all very talented and the order in which we put you does not mean that we think one of you is more talented than the other. It's a combination of experience-based and how well each of you learns songs and choreography," Rachel explained as she handed each of them a copy of the list.

"Does this mean we'll be learning the lead parts in addition to our own?" Andrea inquired.

"Yes, but your first priority is still your own parts. You will each learn one song in addition to any other solo parts available," Shelby answered.

"Seems fair enough," Giselle commented.

"Are you going to tell the team?" Ben asked.

"Yes. Before rehearsal. Shelby and I will take care of that," Jack told him.

"Are you positive I'm supposed to be here?" Puck questioned, earning an annoyed sigh from Rachel, and Jesse and Santana did their best not to laugh.

"Yes, Noah, I'm positive you're supposed to be here," Rachel informed him. "Now please remain quiet so we can finish discussing this very important matter."

"Yes, ma'am."

Jack glanced over at his fiancée, smiling a little to himself when he saw that she was also trying not to laugh.

"Jesse, Rachel, I'd like to talk to you quickly before we start rehearsal. The rest of you can go to the auditorium," Shelby said once she had regained her composure.

"I'll head in there with them and make sure we have everyone," Jack volunteered.

"Thank you."

* * *

"When did you dye your hair?" Holly demanded as she saw Tasha for the first time in a few days and noticed her hair was more of an auburn color rather than her normal dark brown shade.

"Marina convinced Mama to let me dye it. We went to a salon to get it done on Saturday," Tasha answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm still not really sure I like it."

"I think it's cute. I'm surprised your mom relented."

"Marina made a deal with her. She pushed back her return to Boston by a couple of days so she could help Mama out at the studio, and so Melina and Alec could have another date before we started school again. Mama adores Melina and thinks she's perfect for Alec, so she agreed."

"I keep telling her it looks gorgeous," Melina put in from her seat beside Tasha.

"What did Alec say?" Holly wondered as she and Dominic took seats by the other two girls.

"He said something in Russian I didn't understand, which I later found out was the equivalent of "oh my God"," Melina answered with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure he still isn't sure about it, but he's a boy, so he doesn't really understand the whole girls dying their hair thing. I tried to explain it, but I don't think he understood."

"Speaking of your boyfriend, have you talked to him today?" Holly asked, directing her question at Melina.

"For like two minutes," Melina answered with a shrug. "I have to get used to it."

"He's not leaving for a couple of weeks yet, you have more time to spend with him," Tasha reminded her, attempting to reassure her.

"Then I won't see him until March."

"I doubt it'll be that long," Holly told her.

"I don't really want to think about it."

* * *

The next day before rehearsal, Holly stopped by her aunt's office to attempt to get some help with a plan she had come up with.

"Aunt Shelby?"

Looking up from her lesson plan, Shelby smiled at her niece.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I was hoping you could help me with something, actually."

"Well, that depends on what it is."

"The weekend of the winter formal is Alec's last weekend here before he goes back to New York. I want to do something special for both him and Melina. They've both been such good friends to me. I was thinking about asking Uncle Hiram if we could have dinner at the restaurant, and I know Alec isn't really thrilled about going, but he's willing to because he wouldn't deny Melina the experience…" Holly began, only stopping when Shelby held up her hand.

"Okay, first of all, breathe," Shelby commanded. Once she had seen Holly take a couple of deep breaths, she spoke again. "Now, as far as doing something special for Melina and Alec, what did you have in mind?"

"I don't really know. We aren't going to have rehearsal that weekend, are we?"

"We need all the rehearsal time we can get, Regionals is coming up, but no, we won't. I agreed to chaperone the dance, and I talked Jack into doing it with me, so I'll be getting ready that day, too."

"Do you have any ideas for what we could do for them?"

Shelby thought for a moment before she spoke again.

"Do they have a song that means something special to them? Maybe you could convince Rachel and Jesse to sing it, or have the DJ play it."

"I'm not sure. I could ask Nell. Maybe Tasha knows, too."

"That would be my suggestion. It's something you can do without seeming too conspicuous."

"You're the best, Aunt Shelby," Holly proclaimed as she hugged her aunt.

"How are your classes going?"

"So far, so good. It's only been two days, though."

"How many times have you cursed Dominic in French?"

"Only a few," Holly responded with a grin before leaving the room.

* * *

"You're up to something, aren't you?" Dominic asked his girlfriend when she took a seat next to him in the auditorium.

"What makes you think that?"

From her seat on the other side of Holly, Tasha laughed.

"Because we know you well enough to know that you're  _always_  up to something."

"What's going on?" Tatiana wondered, taking a seat next to her sister.

"Something I think all three of you may be able to help me with," Holly began. "It has to do with Alec and Melina."

"They're already together, what more could you want with them?" Tasha wondered.

"I want to know if they have a favorite song; it doesn't necessarily have to be  _their_  song, but a song that they both really like."

"Why?" Tatiana asked.

"Because I want to play it at the winter formal."

"That's so sweet."

"Don't encourage her," Tasha told her younger sister before turning back to Holly. "Marina would probably be the person to ask, to be honest."

"I'll text her. Thanks," Holly responded before sending a quick text to Marina and then giving her full attention to her boyfriend, eager to tell him all about her plan and talk to him about something other than school.

* * *

While their friends sat in the auditorium, Jesse and Rachel sat by the piano on the stage. Upon seeing Shelby and Jack, they were about to take their own seats in the auditorium when Shelby stopped them.

"I thought we could start rehearsal with a number I know you two have wanted to do, but that wouldn't really work for competition."

Rachel and Jesse exchanged a confused look with each other before turning back to Shelby.

"What song is it?" Jesse asked.

"Do we already know it?" Rachel wanted to know.

"Yes, you already know it, and as far as the song, you'll see once Jack starts the music," Shelby replied.

As Rachel and Jesse waited on stage for their cues, Dominic turned to his girlfriend.

"Do you have any idea what they might be singing?" He wondered.

"No, but I have a guess."

"What's that?"

"I forget which musical it's from and the title of it, but it basically describes those two. They're both so competitive, even with each other sometimes."

"If you two would hush, you'd recognize the song," Melina told them as the music began.

Upon hearing the opening notes of the song, Rachel shared a grin with Jesse before singing the first line.

_Anything you can do I can do better...I can do anything better than you_

**No, you can't**

_Yes, I can_

**No, you can't**

_Yes, I can_

**No, you can't**

_Yes, I can, yes, I can_

**Anything you can be I can be greater...Sooner or later I'm greater than you**

_No, you're not_

**Yes, I am**

_No, you're not_

**Yes, I am**

_No, you're not_

**Yes, I am, yes I am**

**I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge** _  
_

_I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow  
_

**I can live on bread and cheese** _  
_

_And only on that?  
_

**Yes** _  
_

_So can a rat_

**Any note you can reach I can go higher** _  
_

_I can sing anything higher than you  
_

**No, you can't** _  
_

_Yes, I can  
_

**No, you can't** _  
_

_Yes, I can…_


	52. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer:**  Only my OCs are mine.

* * *

Walking out of rehearsal with Melina and Tasha, Holly was the first to notice the dark-haired boy standing near the doors. Catching his eye, she sent him a questioning look. When he shook his head, she knew he meant to surprise his girlfriend.

"Come on, Tasha, a bunch of us are heading over to my Uncle Hiram's restaurant for some much needed food. You should come with so we can discuss dress ideas," Holly said, moving to loop her arm through Tasha's.

Having been the one to talk Marina into teaching one of Alec's classes, Tasha smiled when she saw him standing there. She caught his mouthed 'thank you' as she walked away with Holly, making her smile even more.

"Tell me all of your ideas, I have none and haven't had a chance to talk to Mama about it yet," she said as she walked away with Holly, leaving Melina and Alec alone.

Not having noticed her boyfriend, Melina took a step in the same direction Holly and Tasha had gone when she felt someone grab her hand. Turning, she couldn't help but smile when she saw Alec standing there.

"I thought you had to teach that dance class this afternoon?" she asked as she hugged him.

"Marina and I switched times. Tasha convinced both Marina and our mother that it would work out just fine, which it did."

"You wouldn't happen to have food in your car, would you?" Melina asked with a laugh. "I'm starving."

"As a matter of fact, I do. I stopped by our favorite restaurant on the way here, since I came straight from the dance studio."

"You're the best," Melina said before leaning up to brush her lips with Alec's.

"I try," Alec responded with a smile, sliding his arm around her waist as he led her towards the exit.

* * *

"Where's Melina?" Rachel asked as everyone arrived at the restaurant.

"Probably with the other missing member of our ever-growing group," Jesse answered from his seat next to her.

"Right. Well, I'm glad they'll be getting some time to spend alone together. I could tell how much she was trying to distract herself from thinking about him leaving."

"I think she enjoyed our duet, though," Jesse remarked.

Rachel smiled as she nodded in agreement.

"I think she got a kick out of the two of you being competitive with each other, which shouldn't surprise her, but she hasn't known you two as long as I have," Holly told them. "I also shouldn't have been surprised that Rachel found someone who is just as competitive as she is."

"I know what you mean," Kurt agreed. "It was kind of a nice change to see them challenging  _each other_  instead of the rest of us for a little while, though."

"It was a fun way to get back into the swing of rehearsals, though," Dominic pointed out.

"It really was," Blaine agreed. "I'd kind of like to see her sing with Jack, though. They've never done that in rehearsal."

"I'll work on it," Rachel promised.

"Which means it'll happen sooner rather than later," Kurt added, earning a chuckle and nod of agreement from Jesse.

"What about Puck and Santana? We rarely get to hear them sing together," Holly suggested.

"Ooh, another good idea," Rachel agreed, reaching for her schoolbag so she could take out a pen and a piece of paper.

"No lists until  _after_  we're done eating," Jesse told her, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together instead, knowing Rachel wouldn't let go of his hand.

"Fine, but if I forget my ideas, I'm blaming it on you," she told him with a good-natured pout.

"You won't," Jesse assured her. "You have a very good memory."

"Sometimes too good," Puck muttered.

"I heard that, Noah," Rachel retorted, earning laughter from the rest of the group at the table.

* * *

"Why do you look so sad?" Alec wondered as he and Melina lounged in her room after finishing their meal.

"I don't want you to leave," Melina whispered, her voice nearly breaking.

Moving closer to his girlfriend, Alec pulled her into his arms and held her tightly as he spoke.

"I don't want to leave either, Mel. If I could take all of my second semester courses from here, I would, but unfortunately, I can't. I  _can_  promise you that I will visit as often as I can, though."

"I'm tempted not to go to the dance, either; I just want to spend time with you."

"I think you'd regret not going. Besides, I don't leave until Sunday night. Did you go to the dances at your old school?"

Melina shook her head before she attempted to speak again, wiping the tears from her eyes as she did so.

"No. The boy I was dating thought he was too cool for them, and I didn't want to go alone, so I never went."

"All the more reason to go now. You told me yourself that the friends you've made here are the best friends you've ever had. Plus, I told you I would go with you. I don't know how much you're into dress shopping and all that, but I know Marina had fun with doing that stuff with her friends."

"Did you go to the dances?" Melina wondered.

"I went to my senior prom because Marina wouldn't take no for an answer. We went with a bunch of friends, it was fun."

"You're being vague."

"I am not. It's the truth; you can ask Marina or Tasha if you don't believe me. I was never super-popular like Marina. We had some of the same friends, but I was more concerned with dancing and my grades. I've wanted to go to Juilliard ever since I found out about it; I wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that."

"That's another thing I don't want to think about."

"Juilliard?"

"Yes. What if I don't get into either college? Then what?"

"Then you move to New York and pursue it anyway, maybe try again next year if that's really the route you want to go. You had me help you with your audition, though, so I'm sure you'll be fine."

Melina laughed, catching Alec's attempt to lighten the mood.

"That's true. It must be some kind of magical touch that it didn't have before," she joked.

"We'll have to wait and see….but, for the record, I think you'll get accepted to both, and Dominic will get accepted to both of his. You two will be able to go to Juilliard together like you want to."

"Well, I'm glad one of us is confident about it. Well, two, counting Holly, but still."

"Speaking of Holly and Dominic, what was up with your comment to his mom the other day?"

"I don't even really know where that came from," Melina answered with a small laugh. "I knew her tendency to judge someone before she gets to know them is what caused the drama between Holly and Dominic, and it made me mad. Holly's great. She makes Dominic happy, and she's been a really good friend to me. She also told me that our friendship is in no way affected by her relationship with Dominic…which was nice to hear, to be honest."

"That's how she's always been," Alec told her. "If you let her get to know you, she'll be one of the best friends you'll ever have. I got the impression that Rachel is same way."

"She is. Everyone in the group is, really. They all kind of took me in and made an effort to get to know me. I was so confused by everything going on with my dad, and whether or not I'd be here for very long, but they immediately made me feel at home."

"Do you think you're happier here?" Alec asked her.

Melina thought for a moment before she answered.

"I thought I was happy with my dad, and I love him, don't get me wrong, and if I hadn't moved here, I don't know if we'd be together right now, but strictly friendship-wise, yes. Even my grades have improved, not that they were ever horrible, but still. I think I'm happier here, yes."

"You know, even when I go back to New York, you can always leave me a message or text me, or email me if we can't talk…and I promise to respond as soon as I can. Just because I'm going to be in a different state doesn't mean that we have to stop talking, or you can't talk to me about things."

"I know," Melina told him with a smile, "but thanks for the reminder."

* * *

"So," Rachel started as she took a seat on Jesse's bed. "When are you going to tell me what's on your mind?"

Jesse looked up from his homework to send his girlfriend a confused look.

"What makes you think something's on my mind?" he asked.

Rachel sent him a disbelieving look before she answered.

"We're open books to each other, remember?"

Jesse sighed, setting down his paper to sit next to Rachel on his bed.

"Your list of acceptable replacements kind of got me thinking….and I don't want to make it seem like I can't handle being the lead, because I can, but  _Bohemian Rhapsody_  is the song I've wanted to perform since before I even joined Vocal Adrenaline. I want to make sure I perform it to the best of my abilities. I want it to be a performance to go down in show choir history."

Rachel smiled sympathetically at her boyfriend as she reached for his hand.

"I understand, and I'm sure my Mom and Jack will, too. I also want you to know that my Mom wouldn't have given you that song if she didn't think you could knock it out of the park. She knows you can do it. I know you can do it. If you want more time to concentrate on it, just talk to her about it. As long as you aren't thinking of giving up your part in our duet, I support you completely."

Jesse chuckled at Rachel's hidden teasing, but he was also grateful she understood him so very well.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Jesse told her. "I was thinking maybe we could turn the third number into more of a group number, sort of like what we did for the Invitational."

"I could see it working for that song. We could put Kurt, Santana, and Holly in charge of it, with our supervision, of course, since they seem to be the most enthusiastic about it."

"I like that idea. We'll talk to your Mom and Jack about it in the morning," Jesse agreed before changing the subject. "Are you finished with your homework?"

"I didn't have that much, so I have been for a while. I watched a movie with my dads, and we talked for a bit. It was nice to be able to have them both to myself for a little while," Rachel answered.

"It sounds like you had fun, then."

"I did. I'm actually kind of tired now, though. I came to get you so we can start our routines."

"I just need to put my homework away, and then we can do that," Jesse promised, leaning over to brush his lips with Rachel's before reluctantly letting go of her hand and walking over to his desk to put his homework away.

* * *

The next day, as she looked over her lesson plans for the week, Shelby heard a knock at the door. Looking up, she was surprised to see Jesse standing there. What surprised her more was that he looked uncharacteristically nervous.

"Do you have a minute to talk?" he asked.

"Of course," Shelby answered. "You can shut the door if you'd like."

Once he had followed Shelby's suggestion, Jesse took a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk.

"It's about Regionals."

"What about them?" Shelby wondered.

"You know how much performing  _Bohemian Rhapsody_  means to me, how long I've been waiting for you to let me do it. I don't want to mess that up. I refuse to make a fool of myself on stage."

"I'd never let you get on that stage if I thought that was a possible outcome, but I know it's not. Are you saying you want to sing a different song?"

"No, not at all. It's just…the lists Rachel and I made…they got me thinking. We were talking about it last night, too. We were thinking about how much Holly, Kurt, and Santana like the third song. Rachel wants to keep some of her solo parts, but we both think the team would benefit from turning it into more of a group number, sort of like the Invitational. I want more time to work on my solo, to make it the best it can be. I think if we did it that way, the team wouldn't be losing out on anything, either."

Shelby thought for a minute before she spoke again.

"I think that could work. I'm not guaranteeing anything, but we'll try it. I'll run the idea by Jack and see what he thinks, too. Blaine could always take over your parts if re-arranging things a little doesn't work."

"I don't want to make it seem like I can't handle being the male lead…" Jesse started to say, only to be cut off by Shelby shaking her head.

"You're not. I understand where you're coming from. I gave you that solo for a reason, Jesse. You've earned it, and I know you can pull it off. I'd also much rather have you come to me now and tell me this than a week before the competition."

"I think we've had enough drama in the first few months to last us the rest of the year."

"I agree."

"Thanks, Shelby. For listening, for understanding."

"You're welcome," Shelby told him with a smile. "How have the first few days back been going?"

"Everything is fine, you can stop worrying," Jesse answered, though he was smiling, too.

"You know telling me that isn't going to make me stop."

"I know…and it's nice to know that you care."

"Is there anything else on your mind you want to talk about?" Shelby asked, though she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

"I've been trying to keep myself busy so I don't think about whether or not I'm going to get accepted to college. I mean, being accepted at either one would be great, but what if neither one accepts me?" Jesse revealed.

"I'm positive you'll be accepted at both, or at least one or the other. They'd be foolish to pass on your talent. Either way, though, you made it father than a lot of people. Not everyone gets to audition for Tisch or Juilliard, let alone both. You should be proud of yourself just for that."

"Not everyone can call themselves four-time National champions, either," Jesse reminded her, making her laugh.

"That's true. You've also found love, which is another thing that not everyone can say they've been lucky enough to find."

"Speaking of that love, I better go find her before she starts worrying too much," Jesse said as he stood.

"You can let her know what I said about Regionals, I'm sure she's wondering about it."

"Most likely. Thanks again, Shelby."

* * *

"Where'd you run off to?" Rachel asked as she saw Jesse approach her locker. "You weren't outside my science class like you said you would be."

"I know, I'm sorry," Jesse apologized. "I got out of my history class early, so I went to talk to Shelby about Regionals."

"What did she say?"

"She said we were going to try the idea today and see how it works. If it doesn't, Blaine will take over my parts. I think it'll work, though."

"I'm sure it will, too," Rachel agreed as she shut her locker door. "Now, are you going to take me to lunch or let me starve?"

Jesse chuckled as he slid his arm around Rachel's shoulders.

"I just need to stop at my locker and then we'll go. Do you think you can survive that long?"

"I suppose," Rachel answered with a dramatic sigh.

* * *

"You're late, cousin," Holly said as Rachel and Jesse joined her and the rest of their friends at the lunch table.

"That's my fault," Jesse told her. "I was talking with Shelby, and then I needed to stop at my locker."

"Talking to Shelby about what?" Kurt wondered.

"Regionals. You'll see at rehearsal today."

"Can you at least tell me if it's good or bad?"

"I think you'll approve," Rachel answered before Jesse could say anything else. "In fact, I'm positive you will."

"I'll try not to worry too much, then."

"None of you need to worry," Puck added. "Berry isn't freaking out or making a bunch of lists. Everything is fine."

"You know, you're lucky you're a fellow Jew, Noah," Rachel retorted, causing the rest of the group to laugh.

* * *

"Are you going dress shopping with us on Saturday?" Rachel asked Melina as they waited for rehearsal to start.

"Probably. I found a dress I want, but I don't think I'll be able to get it in time."

"What dress is that?"

"It was my Grandma Harris'. She and my grandpa live in Greece, though. That's a little too far away to get the dress from."

"Maybe you can find something similar. Something that seems like it was inspired by the same style as that dress. Do you have a picture?"

"At home. I was looking through some old phGoto albums with Alec yesterday and I found the picture of my grandmother in the dress."

"You should bring it with on Saturday. I'm sure Kurt could find something for you. He is our fashion expert, after all."

Melina smiled and nodded in agreement.

"I'll do that. Thanks."

"You're welcome. How's that handsome boyfriend of yours, anyway?"

"He's great. He and I talked for a while last night, about anything and everything. I'll be sad to see him leave, but I feel more confident about our relationship. I still can't believe he picked me sometimes."

Rachel smiled at her friend before she spoke again.

"I know the feeling. I've never had a lot of friends, not until I moved here. Then I met Jesse, and we started spending a lot of time together. I knew there'd never be anyone more perfect for me than him. As Noah likes to point out, he thinks my lists are cute."

"Well, I think you two are perfect for each other. You've both been such great friends, too. I was so scared that I wouldn't make any friends. I mean, I'd always have Dominic, but he's my brother."

"When I made the decision to move, to transfer to Carmel, I didn't know any of my other friends from Lima would be here as well. I fully expected to have to make all new friends."

"What made you decide to transfer?"

"Carmel is known for their arts program, and Vocal Adrenaline is quite well-known in the show choir world. I didn't want to make my dads feel like I didn't want to be with them, so I never asked about transferring. When my Mom offered to let me live with her so I could transfer, I couldn't resist any longer. It turns out my dads were going to talk to me about transferring anyway. I know your transfer wasn't exactly your choice, but I'm really glad you're here."

"Me, too," Melina agreed with a smile.

* * *

Walking into her room after rehearsal on Friday, Melina was surprised to see a package sitting on her bed.

"Were you expecting something?" Alec asked, following her into the room.

"No," Melina answered as she looked at the address on the package. "It's from my Grandma Harris."

"Well, open it."

As she did as her boyfriend has suggested, Melina was surprised to find the dress she had been admiring ever since she'd laid eyes on it as well as a note.

"What does the note say?" Alec wondered.

"It says that my dad told her how much I wanted to wear the dress, and she couldn't think of anyone she'd rather have wear it. She also gave me a list of pictures she wants. I don't know how my dad would have known, though. I didn't mention it to him when we talked."

"Did you mention it to your mom?"

"No…at least I don't remember doing it."

Alec thought for a moment before he came up with the answer.

"Holly. You told Holly," he guessed.

"That I did do," Melina told him. "She probably told Dominic, who would have recommended she talk to my mom. My mom probably called my dad, who then called my grandma. It had to be expensive to get this here so soon."

"It sounds like your dad is really doing whatever he can to show you that he's sorry and he cares."

"I already know both of those things. Don't get me wrong, I love that I'll be able to wear the dress, but I didn't need him to get it for me in order to show me those things."

"I think he knows that, too, but he wanted to do this for you."

"I'll have to call him later and thank him. I still need shoes and accessories, though."

"You can buy those tomorrow when you go shopping with Kurt and the girls."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to look extremely handsome in your suit to top how I'm going to look in this dress," Melina teased.

Alec laughed as he pulled her into his arms.

"You'll look gorgeous, I have no doubt," he told her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Are you sure that's how you want to spend your last weekend here?" Melina asked.

"I'm sure," Alec assured her. "I get to see you all dressed up, and besides, you know I wouldn't deny you that memory. Especially not since I can tell how much you're looking forward to this. We'll give Rachel and Jesse a run for their money for best-looking couple."

Melina laughed as she moved closer to her boyfriend.

"I look forward to it," she told him, leaning up to press her lips to Alec's.

* * *

"So, what do you think of the revised Regionals number?" Jack asked his fiancée as they walked into the music room.

"I actually like it more than I thought I would. Kurt and Santana really took the idea and ran with it."

"Isn't that what you encourage them to do? Bring their ideas to life?"

"It is," Shelby confirmed. "I just didn't expect it to happen so quickly. It's like they were planning it."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were."

"What do you think about it?"

"I'll admit that I wasn't sure about it at first, but now that I've seen it start to come together, I think it will be fabulous. I'm positive we'll leave the competition in the dust, but you'll have to top these performances at Nationals."

"Somehow, I doubt we'll have a problem with that," Shelby told him with a small laugh.

"Knowing these kids, I'm sure you're right," Jack agreed.


	53. Chapter 53

**Disclaimer:**  Glee's characters and the song used in this chapter don't belong to me.

* * *

"Lina, are you ready to go yet?" Holly demanded as she knocked on her friend's bedroom door.

"I can't find my purse," Melina answered as she opened the door. "I had it when I was talking to Alec earlier, but now I can't find it."

"Did you go anywhere while you were talking to him?"

"No. I was in my room. Unless I tossed it back in my closet thinking I didn't need it. I could have done that. Then who knows where it is."

Holly laughed as she walked towards her friend's closet.

"Have you seen  _my_  closet? It's a disaster, and I manage to find things. Dominic just shakes his head every time he sees it. So do my parents. Rachel wants to organize it," she revealed as she began to dig through Melina's closet.

"How do you know which purse it is?" Melina wondered.

"I just do. It's that black one that your dad brought with your stuff. You told me it's your favorite."

Melina sighed as she continued to search elsewhere in the room, jumping when she heard Holly shout that she'd found it.

"See? I told you I'd find it," Holly told her with a grin, handing her the purse.

Melina laughed as she hugged her friend.

"So you did. Thank you. Now, let's go. You know how Kurt and Rachel get when we're late."

"Trust me, I know," Holly agreed as she and Melina walked downstairs and out to her car.

* * *

"Where are Holly and Melina off to in such a hurry?" Tony asked his wife as he saw the two teenage girls rush past him.

"Shopping with Kurt and the rest of the girls," Penelope answered with a smile.

"I thought Melina had a dress?"

"She does, but she said she needs shoes and accessories. She seemed so excited about it all that I couldn't deny her request."

"I wouldn't have, either. Especially considering she got such good grades last semester, even with the unexpected transfer and joining Vocal Adrenaline. She seems a lot happier, too."

"She is, I think," Penelope agreed. "She was beyond thrilled to get that dress yesterday."

"Is Stefan going to be in town that day?"

"He isn't sure yet. He wants to be, but I promised him pictures either way. I've promised pictures to all three sets of grandparents, too."

* * *

"I think this store has the best selection we've seen," Rachel commented as she and her friends walked into the third store they'd been to that day.

"I definitely have to agree," Kurt told her. "I think I see your dress already, too."

"That was fast."

Either ignoring or really not hearing her comment, Kurt grabbed Rachel's hand and started walking with her towards the dress he'd spotted.

"Come on, let's take a closer look."

Once they had approached the dress he had in mind, Kurt plucked it off the rack and held it up for Rachel's review. It was a strapless, floor-length emerald-green dress.

"It's a gorgeous color," Rachel agreed as she reached out to touch the dress.

"Try it on, cousin," Holly encouraged.

"I think it will look gorgeous with your dark hair," Melina told her, earning a smile and a nod of agreement from Kurt.

"All right," Rachel agreed, taking the dress from her friend and walking into the dressing rooms area.

"Now that Rachel is taken care of…." Kurt started as he looked around the store again. "Satan, you're next."

Santana exchanged a look with the other girls, who all just shrugged and began to follow their friend. They knew better than to try to argue with Kurt while he was in what he liked to refer to as his stylist mode.

"Well, what do you think, Satan?" Kurt asked, holding up another strapless dress, though this one was dark red, had ruching on the bottom, and a black sash at the waist.

"You're two for two, Hummel," Santana responded, taking the dress and walking the same direction Rachel had just gone in while Kurt just smiled and then turned to the two remaining girls who didn't have a dress yet.

"Hmm," Kurt said as he looked around the shop some more, followed by the three girls who weren't in the dressing room.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Melina wondered.

"Go ahead."

Before saying anything else, Melina turned to a nearby rack and pulled out a simple dark purple tea-length dress.

"What about this one for Tasha?" she asked.

"I like it," Tasha decided. "What do you think, Kurt?"

"It fits your personality," Kurt answered. "You're not dramatic like the two diva cousins. You're more easy-going like Melina. I think you should try it on, I definitely think it could work."

Satisfied with that answer, Tasha took the dress and went off to find Rachel and Santana.

"I think you could be a very valuable assistant," Kurt told Melina they searched for Holly's dress.

"Thanks, I think," Melina responded with a laugh. "You found my shoes; I'm just returning the favor."

"That was a good find," Kurt agreed before turning to the dark-haired girl. "You see something, don't you?"

"That's creepy," Holly told him, "but, yes, I did."

"Show me."

Holly nodded, leading Kurt a short ways further down the rack, taking a strapless royal blue dress with two rows of white beading around the waist off the rack and holding it up for Kurt and Melina.

"Ooh, good choice," Kurt told her with a smile. "Go join the others."

"Yes, sir," Holly responded with a mock-salute.

* * *

A short while later, after Holly had changed into her dress and joined Rachel, Santana, and Tasha by a set of mirrors in the main part of the store, Kurt walked around each girl as he surveyed the dress choice.

"I think we have four winners," Kurt said a few moments later before turning to Melina. "What do you think?"

"I'm not a fashion expert," Melina responded, "but I don't think we could find better dresses for any of them."

Before anyone could say anything else, they were interrupted by a new voice.

"You know, for a large group, you're very hard to track down."

"Marina!" Tasha exclaimed, surprised to find her older sister stand there.

"You didn't think I'd let you go dress shopping without me, did you?" Marina teased as she walked over to hug Tasha. "You all look gorgeous."

"Do you really like the dress?" Tasha asked.

"I love it," Marina responded with a smile. "Mama will love it, too, when she sees it."

"I hope so. I really like it."

"Well, we'll find out when we get home. Go change and then I'll help you pick out shoes and accessories."

Tasha nodded, turning to walk back into the dressing room to change back into her clothes. Noticing the worried look on Melina's face, Marina turned to the younger girl.

"What's wrong?" she wondered.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Melina responded.

"It's obviously not nothing."

"I'm just worried. All of these other dresses look gorgeous. I love my grandmother's dress, but it kind of pales in comparison to the other girls' dresses."

"All you need is the right accessories. It's black, right?"

"Yes, and about the same length as Tasha's."

"You're already off to a good start with your fabulous shoes," Kurt added. "Besides, you have a boy taking you who thinks you're gorgeous in everyday clothes. You'll be  _stunning_  all dressed up."

Melina smiled a little as she nodded, following Kurt and Marina over to the accessories.

* * *

"You're not calling to tell me that my sisters exhausted you and now you don't feel up to company, are you?" Alec jokingly asked as he answered Melina's call.

"No," Melina told him with a laugh, "They were both really helpful, actually, especially Marina."

"Marina loves to shop, so I imagine she was in heaven."

"I'd say that's about right. Tasha seemed happy to see her, too."

"Did you say something to them when we were in New York? They've been getting along alarmingly well since we got back."

"No, I didn't say anything. Maybe it's the fact that they each have their own space now?"

"I guess that could be it. I'm still kind of waiting for a big blowout from them pretending to be nice to each other."

"I think they've finally found some common ground, but I guess only time will tell."

"Did you end up finding a place in the mall or did you go somewhere else?"

"We found a store in the mall, why?"

"Because Marina made me drive her, so I'm here. I've been walking around for a while."

"Where are you? I'll just tell Holly I don't need a ride home…"

"Just outside the store, actually."

"I'll be right there."

* * *

"So, how much trouble do you think our boyfriends got into while we were shopping?" Kurt joked as he and Rachel walked towards his car.

"They were going to visit Genevieve and Jacqueline, so hopefully not too much. I'm sure they were doted on quite a bit, though," Rachel answered.

"Most likely. I was kind of surprised how supportive Jacqueline was, and I know Blaine was, too. I mean, it was a nice surprise and all, but still."

"I understand. I was nervous about her disapproving of my relationship with Jesse, too. I know it would have been for a different reason, but that doesn't change the fact that I was nervous."

"It's obvious you two adore each other. I think she truly just wants her grandchildren to be happy. I don't know if she's always been that way or if she learned from past mistakes, but I do know that Blaine was happy to find out she was sticking around."

"Jesse was, too. I think he's happy my grandparents decided to stick around as well. Between Jacqueline, my parents, and my grandparents, there's no shortage of supportive people around us now."

"That's how it should be. We escaped our hell, Rachel."

"We most certainly did," Rachel agreed as she looped her arm through Kurt's. "Now we're going to a formal dance with two gorgeous boys who just happen to be as crazy about us as we are about them."

"I like the sound of that," Kurt told her.

"I thought you might."

* * *

The day of the winter formal, Penelope was gathering the supplies she'd need to style the girls' hair when she saw her two oldest daughters walk into the room.

"What happened?" she immediately asked.

"I'm trying to make sure I have everything so we can get to Rachel's on time, and she keeps getting in my way," Melina told her.

"I just want to help," Liv added. "I didn't think that was so bad."

"I'm not in the mood for this," Melina snapped, earning confused looks from both her mother and her sister.

"Olivia, would you please go downstairs and see if you can find the wide-barrel curling iron for me? If you see any extra bobby-pins, you can grab those, too."

"Sure," Liv agreed, leaving her mother and older sister alone in the room.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Penelope asked once Liv had left the room.

"I'm ready to not go to the dance at all," Melina revealed with a sigh. "It's Alec's last weekend here. He goes back to New York  _tomorrow_. What was I thinking? I'm spending half of the day away from him and then I'll barely get to see him tomorrow, he'll want to spend time with his family."

"Didn't you two already talk about this?"

"Yes, and he said he didn't want me to miss out on something like this and we'd make the most of the time we had, but that doesn't change the fact that he's leaving."

"Have you told him that you love him yet?"

Melina looked up at her mother in surprise.

"What makes you think I do?" she wondered, though she had already admitted to herself that she had indeed fallen for Alec.

Penelope smiled a little as she ran her hand over her daughter's hair.

"Because I know you," she answered. "If you didn't have strong feelings for him, you wouldn't be acting this way. I know you're going to miss him, and I know that you're worried he's going to forget you."

"What if he goes back to New York and he meets some super-smart, super-talented, gorgeous girl who makes me look like an uneducated and uncoordinated troll in comparison?"

"Okay, you've been around Holly far too much, I think," Penelope said with a small laugh, earning an annoyed look from her daughter. Taking her daughter's hands into her own, she began to speak again. "I've seen the way he looks at you. He loves you, sweetheart, just as much as I know you love him. I understand the separation is going to be difficult, but you'll get through it. As for your sister, she looks up to you. You're her big sister. You also know how much she's always loved to get dressed up."

Melina smiled a little as she nodded.

"She has since she was little. She was always some kind of princess for Halloween and she always had to have a fancy Christmas dress."

"I was thinking she'd make a pretty good assistant today. Maybe we could bring her along."

"She'd be in heaven."

"I think you should tell Alec how you feel, whether or not you're the first to say it," Penelope told her daughter as they began to walk out of the room.

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Now, let's go find your sister so we can get going. I promised your dad and grandparents pictures as well, so I also need to make sure I have plenty of batteries for my camera."

* * *

"Why am I here again?" Tatiana asked as she, her mother, and her sisters drove to Rachel's house.

"Because your father and Dmitry have plans, and Alec is going to this dance as well, so he can't stay home with you," Talia answered.

"I'm fourteen, Mama, I think I'm old enough to stay home alone."

"I suggested it," Marina revealed. "I thought it would be something fun for us to do together."

"I'd rather have stayed home."

"Tatiana Alexandra McKenzie, you need to stop with that attitude right now. If you don't, I'll tell Shelby that you won't be at rehearsal for the rest of the week," Talia demanded.

"What? No! You can't do that!" Tatiana exclaimed.

"Yes, I can, and I will if you don't stop with the attitude."

Instead of arguing with her mother some more, Tatiana turned her head to look out the window, knowing if she said anything else, she'd only dig a deeper hole for herself.

"Ana," Tasha said softly, touching her sister's arm as spoke the rarely-used nickname for her younger sister.

Tatiana turned to look at her sister, curious as to what she wanted.

"I want you here. Marina told me about her idea, and I agreed with it. We don't get to have Mama to ourselves a lot. Besides, Marina is leaving for Boston tomorrow, too. I know you like to have time to yourself, but I thought you would have fun with everyone. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I didn't know you wanted me here."

"Well, now you do. Holly and Melina will be there, too, you know."

"That's true. They're much cooler than either you or Marina," Tatiana responded with a grin, earning laughter from her two older sisters in return.

* * *

"Jess."

At the sound of his girlfriend using her nickname for him, Jesse turned around and a wide smile immediately bloomed on his face.

"You look absolutely gorgeous," he told her as he walked over to pull her into his arms.

"Don't I always?" Rachel teased.

"You do, but you look especially gorgeous all dressed up."

"That's better. You look quite dashing yourself. My parents want pictures, and your sister and grandmother are here, too. They're currently taking pictures of Kurt and Blaine, but they want some of the two of us and us with Kurt and Blaine."

"We shouldn't keep our adoring family waiting, then," Jesse joked, sliding an arm around Rachel's waist as he led her down the hall to the living room.

* * *

"You two look adorable," Tabitha commented as Sara took pictures of Holly and Dominic.

"Grandma, stop," Holly tried, earning a chuckle of amusement from her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry. You look very pretty, Holly, and you look very handsome, Dominic," Tabitha responded. "Is that better?"

"I guess."

"Holly…" Sara started.

"Why don't you take a picture with Holly, Tabitha," Dominic suggested. "My mom took a picture with her grandma before her senior prom, she enjoys being able to look at it, to have a tangible reminder of that memory."

"I like the way you think," Tabitha told him with a smile.

"He has good ideas sometimes," Holly agreed, earning her an amused head shake from her mother and chuckles of amusement from Dominic and Tabitha.

"I really like this shade of blue on you, darling," Tabitha told her granddaughter with a smile.

"Thanks, Grandma," Holly replied, returning her grandmother's smile as her mother captured the moment with her camera.

* * *

After the picture-taking had finished, the group of teens gathered in various vehicles as the first part of their night came to a close and they began the drive to Hiram's restaurant for the second part.

"Are you okay?" Alec asked his girlfriend, noticing she was gripping his hand a bit tighter than she usually did. He was glad he wasn't driving, so he could give her his complete attention.

"I'm still wondering if this was a good idea. It's your last weekend here for who knows how long."

"I'll be back in March at the latest, and then classes are done in May, so I'll be home for the summer after that. Then you'll be joining me in New York in the fall, so we won't be apart for too long."

Melina nodded, trying not to think about Alec leaving because it would make her cry, which would in turn ruin the make-up that Talia and Marina had helped her with.

"Take a deep breath," Alec told her, "and have fun tonight. You enjoy spending time with these people, and so do I."

"They grow on you," Melina agreed with a small smile after she'd taken the deep breath her boyfriend recommended. "Tasha said that your mother used Tatiana's full name on the way to Rachel's."

"I know. Tatiana told me. When Mama uses your full name, you know you're in trouble."

"Do you know why? She seemed kind of bothered by it…Tatiana, I mean."

"You know how Tasha is less of a social butterfly than Marina? She enjoys being around people, but she needs her own space sometimes."

"I understand. Everyone needs time to themselves."

"Marina loves being around people, she feeds off the energy. Tasha is a bit more introverted than Marina. Tatiana is pretty much the opposite of Marina. She needs time to herself to…recharge…otherwise she'll start getting cranky."

"I kind of got that impression, but she and I haven't really had much of a chance to talk," Melina admitted.

"It takes her a while to open up to people, kind of like you. I think that's part of the reason she liked you immediately. Anyway, she wanted to stay home and be by herself, since our dad and brother had plans today and I would be with you, but Mama made her come with her, Marina, and Tasha."

"I take it she wasn't too happy about it."

"No, she wasn't," Alec agreed. "After she snapped at Mama, which resulted in the use of her full name, Tasha and Marina revealed that they wanted her with them because they thought it would be something nice for the four of them to do together."

"I'm sure that meant a lot to her. I know she feels kind of left out sometimes. I can relate there, too."

"She and Dmitry are close, but not the way Marina and I are. He's kind of more like Marina, he likes to socialize."

"You're kind of a mixture, like Tasha," Melina commented. "Plus you two only had each other for a couple of years, until Tasha was born. Even though Dmitry and Tatiana are twins, too, they always had siblings around."

"I'm not sure if I should be impressed or scared that you know me, know my family, so well already," Alec said with a chuckle.

"I don't mean to sound creepy," Melina responded. "It's just…family dynamics have always kind of fascinated me. I guess growing up with two different ones kind of does that."

"It makes sense, and don't worry; I don't think it's creepy."

"Good. Because if you did, I don't think we'd last much longer."

Alec chuckled as he leaned over to press a kiss to Melina's temple.

"Well, it's a good thing I don't think that, then."

Melina smiled as she nodded in agreement, content to simply sit with Alec for the time being.

* * *

" _Estúpido vestido_ ," Santana muttered as she attempted to find a way to make the skirt of her dress not catch the bottom of the chair leg.

"What's wrong?" Puck asked, noticing his girlfriend's increasing irritation.

" _El vestido_."

"Stand up."

"What?"

"Just do it."

Although she was confused, Santana did as her boyfriend directed. Once they were both standing, he moved around her and pulled her chair back.

" _Siéntate_ ," he commanded.

Smiling at his use of Spanish, Santana did as he requested, making sure to keep her dress out of the way she did so. As he was helping Santana with her chair, he saw Jesse doing the same to Rachel. Catching Rachel's eye, he saw her flash him a smile. Returning his friend's smile, Puck reclaimed his seat next to Santana and then began to look over the menu.

"I can't decide, I know all of this stuff will be delicious," Tasha commented as she and the others followed Puck's lead and began to look over their menus.

"I know how you feel," Puck told her.

As the teens looked over their menus, they didn't see Hiram standing nearby with a camera of his own, taking pictures as the group interacted with each other. He had missed the formal pictures at the house because he'd wanted to be at the restaurant to make sure everything would be taken care of here. From his experience, sometimes the candid shots ended up being better than the posed ones anyway. Regardless, he intended to share them with the other parents and grandparents.

* * *

About an hour after they arrived at the dance, Rachel and Holly approached the DJ to request a specific song.

"Sorry, girls, I don't have that one," He told them apologetically.

"I have it," Holly told him, holding up a CD case. "It's supposed to be a surprise for a couple of friends of ours."

"One of them is going back to college in New York tomorrow," Rachel added.

The DJ sighed as he held his hand out for the CD case.

"Is this their song?" he asked as he took the CD out.

"We don't know, but we thought it could apply to multiple other couples as well….it doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary," Holly answered.

"All right. I'll play it after this next song."

"Thank you," Holly and Rachel chorused before they walked away with smiles on their faces.

* * *

"You convinced him, didn't you?" Jesse guessed as he saw the grins on Rachel's and Holly's faces as they walked over to where he and Dominic were standing.

"We did," Rachel confirmed, moving to slide an arm around Jesse's waist as he did the same to her.

"Mission accomplished," Holly added as she laced her fingers with Dominic's. "Where are the lovebirds, anyway?"

"Dancing," Jesse answered, nodding his head towards the dance floor.

"Have you seen my Mom and Jack?" Rachel asked her boyfriend.

"They're with Dr. Howell and Ms. Pillsbury-Howell," Dominic told her.

"Come on, let's dance," Holly said, tugging on Dominic's hand to get him to follow her back out to the dance floor.

"It's cute how he lets her boss him around," Rachel commented as she watched Dominic slide his arms around Holly's waist.

"I let you boss me around."

Rachel laughed as she shook her head.

"You let me think I'm bossing you around," she corrected, "but it's okay. I know you do it because you love me."

"I definitely do," Jesse agreed. "I also think Holly has a good idea."

Before Rachel could respond, Jesse slipped out of her embrace and moved to stand before her. He bowed before holding his hand out to her.

"Would you do me the honor of dancing with me, oh gorgeous and talented one?" he asked.

Rachel giggled as she placed her hand in Jesse's. He'd done the same thing at the Halloween party, except this time he'd added the part about her being gorgeous and talented. Not that she minded, of course.

"Always, oh handsome and talented one," she responded before following Jesse towards Holly and Dominic.

"You two are so dramatic," Holly teased when they got close.

"You're one to talk," Rachel retorted with a laugh, making Holly smile.

* * *

_There's nothing in my life,_  
I'd say I regret,  
But there's something in your eyes that makes me forget,  
The times that I believed that love was good as love could be,  
I had it all, but I was wrong.

_Thought I'd been touched,_   
_Thought I'd been kissed,_   
_Thought I'd been loved,_   
_But it was nothing like this…_

As the song changed, Alec was startled a little when the meaning of the lyrics hit him. He wasn't sure if she had ever thought she loved someone before, but he knew that he had. He also knew that he'd been wrong. If that had been love, then he wasn't sure what to call what he felt for the girl in his arms.

She'd intrigued him from the moment they met, there'd always been something about her that made him want to get to know her. He didn't expect to see her again, or expect that she'd become close friends with his sisters-both blood and honorary, which would lead him to be able to see her again.

Once she had let him in, let him get to know her, the feeling that she was something special only intensified. When he listened to Dominic and Jesse talk about Holly and Rachel, he could tell their hearts had been captured by the girls they were currently with. They found their drama amusing, and Jesse was a drama king in his own right.

Rachel and Jesse were two forces of nature whose drama, insecurities, and undeniable talent somehow complemented and completed each other. Dominic's calm and cool demeanor was exactly the right thing to counter Holly's ever-present drama queen tendencies. Santana and Puck were both outwardly self-assure, but had doubts about themselves that not many knew about. Kurt and Blaine were not only comfortable in their own skin, but had no qualms about openly being together, despite the criticism they were sure to receive from those who didn't approve of their individual lifestyles or them as a couple.

"What are you thinking about?" Melina wondered, well aware the wheels in her boyfriend's head were turning rapidly.

"You," Alec answered. That was the truth; it just wasn't all he was thinking about.

"What about me?"

"About how I think you look very beautiful tonight, how I've enjoyed myself more than I expected to."

"What else? I know there's more."

"I don't really want to talk about it in the middle of a crowded dance floor."

Melina's face fell as she dropped her arms from around Alec's neck and began to back away from him.

"Mel, what's wrong?" Alec wondered, clearly confused as he reached for her again.

"I knew letting you in would be a mistake," she whispered before turning and practically running out of the room.

* * *

Watching Alec go after Melina, Holly turned to look at her cousin.

"That wasn't the way this was supposed to go," she commented.

"No, it wasn't," Rachel agreed. "I wonder what happened."

"Whatever it is, you need to let them work it out themselves," Jesse reminded his girlfriend, tightening his arms around her waist as he did so.

"I agree with Jesse," Dominic added. "She'll come find us if she needs us."

"What's going on with them?" Kurt wondered as he and Blaine walked up to the foursome, Santana, Puck, and Tasha not far behind them.

"I have no idea," Rachel responded. "Whatever it is, I hope they work it out."

"I'm sure they will," Blaine reassured her. "We all have misunderstandings. We find a way to work them out."

* * *

"Mel, stop, talk to me," Alec said as he finally got close enough to his girlfriend to get her to stop running.

"If you're going to break up with me, why did you have to do it here?" Melina demanded.

"What? Who said anything about breaking up?"

"You said you were thinking about something you didn't want to talk about on a crowded dance floor…"

"That doesn't mean I'm going to break up with you. Mel, that's the last thing I want to do."

"I guess being around Holly and Rachel is rubbing off on me," Melina said sheepishly.

"It's more than that," Alec told her. "Care to explain what's going through that brain of yours?"

"I know you get mad at me when I say bad things about myself, and I'm working on it, but I still don't think I'm anything special. I don't see how I could possibly compare to those gorgeous girls you go to school with."

Alec sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"We've been over this. I don't want any of those supposedly gorgeous girls. I want  _you_. I'll always want you."

Melina sucked in a breath as she listened to Alec talk. She knew how she felt about him, but she hadn't expected him to feel the same.

"I wouldn't have pursued you if I didn't want you. It was never my intention to only be with you for a short period of time and then break up with you before going back to school. You should know that's not my style."

"I do know that, I swear," Melina said with an exasperated sigh. "It's just...I'm not used to being able to get attached to people. Everyone I attempted to get close to always left me. It was like they didn't like the real me or something. It hurt and it was disheartening. You can't expect me to change overnight."

"I don't expect you to change at all. I'd like you to believe in yourself more, but that's different, and it's also up to you. I can't make you do that."

"I'm working on it."

"I know, and I'm happy to see that."

"I always assume the worst. It's a bad habit of mine. I'm sorry," Melina apologized.

"I noticed," Alec told her with a small smile. "It's part of who you are. I'll just have to choose my words more carefully from now on."

"If you aren't breaking up with me, what did you want to tell me that you couldn't on the dance floor?"

Leaning closer to Melina, Alec lowered his head to kiss her softly. Placing his mouth by her ear, he whispered the three words that were the only ones he could think of to describe how he felt about her.

"I love you."

Melina's eyes flew open and lifted to meet Alec's as she comprehended what he had just told her.

"I told you I didn't intend to break up with you," he lightly teased, though he was anxious to find out if his love was unrequited or not.

In answer, Melina hugged him tightly as she tried to find her voice.

"I love you, too," she managed to whisper just loud enough for him to hear.

Alec smiled as he tightened his arms around Melina, content just to hold her for a little while.

"I suppose we should go reassure Rachel and Holly that everything is okay," Melina joked as she pulled back.

"They worry about you, I know," Alec told her. "I think it's quite endearing, actually. It's also nice to know you'll be surrounded by people who care about you while we have to be apart."

"You worry about me?"

"Of course, I do. You always worry most about those you love."

"That's true," Melina agreed, smiling when she felt Alec slide an arm around her waist as they walked towards the gymnasium again.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Holly asked immediately after she spotted Melina.

"Better than ever, despite what my make-up probably shows."

"My parents said it's okay for everyone to crash at our place if they want to. We don't have everything set up downstairs like we did for New Years, but we could make it work," Rachel told them.

Melina exchanged a look with her boyfriend before turning back to the younger girl.

"Sounds like a plan to us. I just need to call my mom to let her know I won't be home."

"You two dance. Tasha and I will take care of the phone calls," Dominic told her.

Melina moved to hug her brother, pressing a kiss to cheek as she pulled back.

"You owe me a dance, big brother," she told him before she followed Alec back out onto the dance floor.

"I appreciate the offer, but I think I'm just going to go home. My own bed sounds really comfortable right now," Tasha said to Rachel once Melina and Alec had left for the group.

"I understand," Rachel assured her.

"You should call Alec, or text him at least, to let him know when you get home," Holly reminded her.

"I will. I'm feeling kind of worn out, I think I'm just going to call my dad and see if he'll come get me, since I don't have my car."

"I'll wait with you," Holly offered. "I can call my mom while we wait."

* * *

"You orchestrated this whole thing so Melina and Alec wouldn't have to be apart tonight, didn't you?" Jesse asked as he and Rachel settled in her bed later that night.

"Guilty," Rachel admitted. "It also gave Kurt and Blaine, Holly and Dominic, and Noah and Santana, the same opportunity. They don't get to spend every night together like we do."

"That's very true."

"Plus Daddy said he'd make breakfast in the morning, so there was that incentive, too."

Jesse laughed as he nodded in agreement.

"That's very true. Think he'd send me care packages at school next year?"

"You can most likely count on it. He considers you family."

"I consider him family, too. I like to think I've built my own family."

"You have," Rachel agreed. "I think we all do, just in different ways."

"I'm glad you agree," Jesse told her. "Now, I think we should get some sleep."

Rachel tilted her face up for a kiss from Jesse before she curled further into his arms and closed her eyes. Once Rachel had gotten comfortable, Jesse laid his head near hers as he closed his eyes and joined her in dreamland.

* * *

**Translations:**

Estúpido vestido = stupid dress  
El vestido = the dress  
Siéntate = sit down

*the song used in the chapter is  _Nothing Like This_ by Rascal Flatts


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N:** For those of you who want to see the dresses from the previous chapter, they have all been posted on my tumblr 

**Disclaimer:**  Only my OCs belong to me.

* * *

"You know, if you cut off my circulation any longer, you won't have a hand to hold on to," Alec quietly joked as he and Melina stood in the airport together.

After breakfast with their friends, they had gone back to his parents' house so he could finish packing. Since Marina's flight left around the same time as his, they had opted to ride to the airport with his parents and siblings. Although he had to get going soon if he was going to make his flight, he wanted a few more moments alone with his girlfriend.

"Will you let me know when you land?" Melina requested.

"I'll text you when I land and I'll call you when I get home," Alec promised.

"I love you."

Alec smiled at the whispered words. Even though he was sad to be leaving her, he was always going to be happy to hear those words from her.

"I love you, too. I'll be back before you know it, and then we'll be together for good in just a few short months."

"A few  _long_  months," Melina corrected as she hugged Alec tightly.

Alec hugged her just as tightly in response as he spoke.

"You'll be busy with school and rehearsal. Plus, you'll have to get things ready for your Juilliard debut in the fall. Maybe get some things for your apartment. You have friends here who would gladly spend time with you, or distract you if needed. Enjoy the rest of your senior year, Mel. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Could I visit you in New York?"

"Absolutely," Alec confirmed. "As long as it's okay with your parents, that is."

Melina nodded as she reluctantly stepped away from her boyfriend. A few weeks ago, she'd never have imagined she would meet Alec in the first place, let alone fall for him so quickly and then have to be separated from him again. After brushing her lips with Alec's one more time, Melina turned towards her friends and Alec's family, unable to watch him walk away from her.

The first one to reach out to her when she returned to the spot where Alec's family stood was Tasha. She quickly enveloped her friend in a hug.

"You know, now that Alec isn't here to stop me, I could tell you some funny, maybe slightly embarrassing, stories about him," she joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

Melina laughed a little as she attempted to keep her tears at bay while they walked out to the car. Just as they had gotten settled, Melina heard her phone's text message tone.

"It's from Alec," she revealed when she saw Tasha's questioning look.

"What does it say?" Tatiana wondered.

"It says to tell Tasha that she's not allowed to tell any stories about him and he'll find out if she does."

"Stupid big brother telepathy," Tasha muttered, earning laughter from the rest of the group, including a watery laugh from Melina.

* * *

"Lina, open up," Dominic requested as he knocked on his sister's door.

"Go away," was Melina's immediate response.

"Please?"

"No. I want to be alone."

"I'll pick the lock."

After a few moments, Dominic heard the door unlock and saw his sister swing open the door.

"What?" she demanded.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. See if there was anything I could do for you."

"I'm fine, and no."

"No, you're not. You're sad, which is perfectly understandable."

"Okay, yes, I'm sad. Can't I be sad by myself?"

"You can, but you shouldn't have to be."

"Dominic, I'm really not in the mood. I'm tired and I'm waiting for Alec to call, then I'm going to go to bed."

"Fine, I'll compromise."

Melina sighed as she eyed her brother warily.

"What kind of compromise are we talking about?"

Instead of answering, Dominic simply pulled his sister into a hug.

"Look, I know I can't exactly understand what you're feeling right now, but you're my sister and I love you. I'm here for you, okay?"

Melina smiled a little as she returned her brother's hug.

"I know, and I love you, too, big brother. I'd just like to be alone."

"Have you eaten anything?"

"A little, I'm not really hungry. I had a lot for breakfast, too."

"I think we all overindulged there," Dominic said with a laugh.

"I know we did, but we'll work it all off in rehearsal anyway. You can tell Holly that I'm alive, too."

Dominic laughed again as Melina stepped back.

"I'll tell her," he promised. "She said to also tell you that she sent you pictures, so you should check your email."

"I will. 'Night, Dominic."

"'Night, Lina."

* * *

"Good Morning," Rachel greeted the next morning when Melina, Holly, and Dominic joined the group that had formed at her locker.

"Good Morning," Melina returned softly.

"Did Alec make it back to New York?"

"Yes. We talked for a while when he got back to his apartment. We found out that Regionals are the weekend before his spring break begins, so he should be able to be here for that."

Rachel smiled encouragingly at the older girl.

"Good. I'm glad he'll be there to support you and to be good luck for the team."

"Me, too."

"Is that necklace new?" Rachel wondered as she noticed Melina playing with the piece of jewelry she hadn't seen her wear before today.

"Alec gave it to me…kind of. He put it in my room before we went to dinner Friday night and didn't tell me about it until last night when we were talking."

"Hmm…he has good taste, I'm surprised," Tasha joked as she admired the necklace.

"Tasha, be nice, it's pretty," Tatiana scolded.

"She is being nice...in her own Tasha-like way," Holly reminded her.

"All that matters is that Melina likes it. She's the one wearing it," Rachel told them.

"I think it's gorgeous, with a vintage feel, which is what I assume he was going for," Kurt opined.

"Thank you," Melina responded with a smile. "I have no idea where he found it, but yes, it's meant to have a vintage feel."

"It's something that's symbolic to her," Jesse added. "Just like the star on Rachel's necklace or the ballet slippers on Holly's."

Sensing that Melina wasn't a fan of being the center of attention, Rachel shifted the topic.

"So, my Daddy surprised me last night with pictures he took of all of us at the restaurant. I have them in my bag, so remind me to share them with you. He also said he'd make duplicates of whichever ones we want."

"I really shouldn't be surprised," Holly decided as the group began to walk towards their classes. "I am, but I shouldn't be. Uncle Hiram  _would_  think of something like that."

"I was momentarily surprised, too," Rachel admitted with a laugh. "Then I realized that I really shouldn't be. Daddy told me that he thought we would enjoy some non-posed-for pictures."

* * *

After returning home from rehearsals the following Friday, Jesse was surprised to find his sister and grandmother sitting in the living room with Hiram and Leroy.

"Am I in trouble?" He asked, unsure what was going on.

"If you were in trouble, you'd know it," Jacqueline responded.

"That's very true," Jesse conceded. "What's going on, then?"

Genevieve held up a large envelope.

"It's from Tisch," she said excitedly.

Jesse took the envelope from his sister as Jack and Shelby entered the room, turning it over as he tried to decipher whether or not he'd gotten in just from the contents.

"It's a large envelope, Jess, I'm sure you got in," Rachel told him.

"Open it," Shelby encouraged.

"Right," Jesse said with a nod before carefully opening the envelope.

On top of the pile of papers, pamphlets and brochures also contained in the envelope was a very official, very foreboding, looking letter. After quickly scanning the letter, Jesse simply sat down in a nearby chair, unable to form words. He'd gotten into his dream school. His first choice. He was going to go to Tisch.

"Jess, are you okay?" Rachel asked worriedly.

"What does the letter say?" Genevieve wondered.

With a sympathetic smile for Jesse, Shelby stood and took the letter from him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are officially looking at a future Tisch graduate," she said proudly, causing Rachel to promptly let out a squeal of excitement as she hugged her boyfriend tightly.

"You got in!" she exclaimed. "I knew you would!"

Jesse simply nodded, still slightly in shock.

"Rachel, sweetheart, I think we should give him a little room to breathe," Jack suggested with a chuckle. "Congratulations, by the way, Jesse."

As soon as Rachel backed away from her boyfriend, Genevieve and Jacqueline walked over to take their turns hugging Jesse.

"Are you okay?" Jacqueline asked him.

"I'm still kind of in shock," Jesse admitted, finally able to form words again.

Reaching out, Jacqueline framed Jesse's face with her hands, the way she used to when he was little and she wanted his full attention. Once she was sure that she had it, she spoke again.

"I'm proud of you. I want you to know that. I love you, I'm proud of you, and I believe in you. You are destined for great things."

Overcome with a different emotion, Jesse simply nodded and then hugged his grandmother tightly.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"I'm so happy for you!" Genevieve exclaimed as she hugged Jesse again.

"Congratulations, son," Leroy said with a smile as first he, then Hiram, enveloped Jesse in a hug.

"I knew you could do it," Shelby told him as she claimed her hug.

"Does this mean we can start rehearsal later tomorrow?" Jesse tried.

"Not a chance," Shelby responded with a laugh. "Nice try, though."

"You can't blame the kid for trying," Jack joked as he clasped Jesse on the shoulder.

* * *

"Melina, Dominic," Penelope called as she heard the front door open, wanting to catch her daughter and step-son before they went upstairs.

Walking into the kitchen, Holly was the first of the three to spot the envelopes on the table.

"Are those acceptance letters?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, I didn't open them," Penelope responded.

"Where's my dad?" Dominic wondered.

"He'll be home shortly. If you want to wait until he gets here, Melina could open hers first."

"Which school is it from?"

"Marymount Manhattan," Melina responded as she carefully opened her envelope.

"Well, what does it say?" Holly wondered as she tried to decipher the expression on her friend's face.

"They put me on the waiting list. They sent me all the campus information in case a spot opens up."

"I know the waiting list isn't really a good thing, but as my father the optimist would say, it's not a rejection. You still have a chance that enough spots will open and you'll get in," Holly said as she attempted to console her friend.

"It wasn't my first choice anyway. It still sucks, though."

Before anyone could say anything else, Anthony walked into the room, apologizing for being late. Noticing the defeated look on his step-daughter's face, he opened his arms to her. With a small smile, she stepped into his embrace and hugged him.

"She was put on the waiting list," Penelope explained.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Tony told her. "They obviously weren't thinking correctly."

"I agree," Dominic told her. "Either way, we're still going to New York. You'll make them wish they'd accepted you outright."

"Someone has to keep an eye on you in the big city," Melina teased. "Since Holly can't be around to keep you in line, I guess that job falls to me."

"I'm more worried about who's going to keep  _her_  in line next year. Tasha just encourages her."

"Rachel and Aunt Shelby will be there, so don't worry. Now, open your letter."

Dominic nodded, reaching for the envelope on the table bearing his name and then carefully opening it. After reading the letter, Dominic looked over at Melina first.

"You got in, didn't you?" she guessed.

"Which school are we talking about?" Holly asked.

"Barnard College," Dominic responded, "and yes, I got in."

Melina moved out of her step-father's embrace to hug Dominic tightly.

"Congratulations, big brother," she told him sincerely.

"Thanks, little sister."

"I'm going to go call Alec," Melina said as she stepped back. "I'll be in my room if you need me."

"Did you eat dinner?" Penelope asked.

"Hiram brought food in since rehearsal ran late the last couple of days. It was Shelby's treat to us for our hard work."

"All right, well, there are leftovers in the fridge if you get hungry."

"Okay. Thanks, Mom."

"Congratulations, son," Anthony said with a smile as he hugged his oldest son.

"Thanks."

"I know you feel bad for your sister, but she really is happy for you," Penelope told Dominic as she took her turn hugging him.

"I know. I think she's tired, too. It's been a long week for everyone. She's also been helping with the choreography for one of our Regionals numbers, so there's that, too."

"Did Shelby ask her to help?"

"She asked," Holly revealed. "She said she had some ideas, so I encouraged her to talk to Aunt Shelby."

"We've been re-working the routine all week; it's taken a lot out of her. She seems to enjoy it, but it's tiresome," Dominic added.

"Are you staying here tonight, Holly?" Penelope wondered.

"No, my parents are expecting me home, unfortunately," Holly responded.

"As long as it's not a school night, we don't mind you staying here," Anthony told her.

"Thank you," Holly told him with a smile before turning to her boyfriend. "Come on, we need to work on the dance for Madame Nicole's class."

* * *

"Who were you talking to for so long?" Jack wondered as he noticed his fiancée walk into their room later that night.

"Penelope Edwards. She called to let me know that Dominic got into Barnard College, while Melina was put on the waiting list for Marymount Manhattan," Shelby revealed.

"Ouch. Who opened their letter first?"

"Melina. According to Penelope, she was genuinely happy for Dominic, but she was also disappointed. It wasn't her first choice, so there's a little bit of comfort in that, but it still hurts. All that time and effort she put into her auditions."

"I remember. I also remember getting rejected by one school, wait-listed by another, and then finally accepted by Tisch. That was part of the reason I took their early-admission offer."

"You never told me that."

"Shel…" Jack started, only to be cut off by Shelby.

"It's okay. I'm over it. Really. It's always going to be part of our past, we can't change that."

"You know I'm never going to leave you again, right?"

Shelby smiled and nodded as she slid into bed beside her fiancé.

"I know. I also noticed that you called Rachel 'sweetheart' tonight."

"Is that bad?" Jack wondered.

"I thought it was sweet," Shelby revealed. "She didn't seem to mind, granted she was distracted by Jesse's acceptance to Tisch, but still. I know you two have grown close."

"We have. She's a great kid. I have to admit, I still get a kick out of her at rehearsals sometimes. She's so small and petite, but she's a force to be reckoned with. Especially when she's on a mission."

Shelby smiled as she nodded in agreement.

"Well, she  _is_  my daughter," she pointed out with a laugh.

"That's true," Jack agreed. "She has a lot of you in her, but there are influences from both Hiram and Leroy there, too."

"They raised her well, which I knew they would. I was just happy that they decided to let me be a part of her life."

"Did you always want to be?" Jack wondered.

Shelby thought for a moment before she answered.

"I didn't think it was an option, so I didn't let myself think about it at all. At least I tried not to."

"What did you think when Hiram and Leroy offered to change the agreement?"

"I was surprised, and then I was extremely happy. Hiram had always been such a good friend to me, even when we weren't that close, and I thought the best way to repay him for that was to keep him and his partner involved in the pregnancy. Just because Hiram and I weren't romantically involved didn't mean that he should be any less involved, or that Leroy should be left out because he wasn't the biological father."

"However we got to where we are today, we're here together now. We're getting married like we wanted to do since we were teenagers."

"Speaking of the wedding," Shelby said. "I think a destination wedding would be best for us. I don't need anything big and fancy. I just need you, our closest friends, and our family. Emma had suggested having a second reception here when we get back for those who couldn't make it to the actual wedding. That way they'd still get to celebrate with us."

"Sounds good to me. Do you have a particular destination in mind?"

"I have a few ideas. I'll show you tomorrow."

"I'm holding you to that," Jack told her with a smile as he leaned over to kiss her softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

"You look like you're still in shock," Rachel commented with a laugh as she and Jesse settled in her bed.

"I'm pretty sure I am," Jesse responded.

"Because you got accepted to Tisch or because your grandmother told you she was proud of you?"

"A little bit of both, mostly the second. My sister told me she was proud of me, too. She was all excited to tell her friends that her little brother was going to be at Tisch in the fall. Just a few months ago, I wasn't in contact with either of them."

"Those few months changed a lot for both of us," Rachel agreed. "I didn't know you a few months ago, either."

"Now you're never going to get rid of me," Jesse told her with a grin.

Rachel returned his grin as she spoke.

"You're never getting rid of me, either. I couldn't let you go. Ever. You're the first person to see the real me immediately and never judge me for it. I'm pretty sure that's an once-in-a-lifetime type of thing."

"That's because we're soul mates. You saw the real me right away, too."

"It'll make our Regionals duet even more magical. I'm excited to sing with you on stage again."

"We'll sing together on Broadway someday," Jesse predicted.

"Is that a promise?" Rachel asked.

"Of course."

"Good. Now, can we sleep? I'm exhausted."

Jesse chuckled as he nodded, then leaned down to brush his lips with Rachel's before tightening his arms around her as she settled in his arms. Sleep claimed them both within minutes.

* * *

"What's everyone so excited…or depressed…about today?" Kurt asked his boyfriend as they walked into rehearsal together.

"You mean some of the seniors?" Blaine wondered. At Kurt's nod, he continued. "Well, I can't speak for everyone, but Jesse got his acceptance letter from Tisch yesterday. I talked to him last night. I would guess a few others heard from the schools they applied to as well."

"Ooh, how exciting. I wonder if Dominic or Melina heard anything from either of their schools yesterday."

"Well, they're sitting by Rachel and Holly, so why don't you go ask?" Blaine suggested with chuckle.

"I think I will," Kurt decided as he grabbed Blaine's hand and began to lead him down the aisle of the auditorium. "Come on, I know you want to know just as much as I do."

With a smile, Blaine followed his boyfriend as he admitted to himself that Kurt was right-he did want to know the outcome of the seniors' auditions.

"Well, what's the verdict?" Kurt demanded as he and Blaine joined their group of friends.

"They haven't heard from Juilliard yet, but Jesse was accepted to Tisch, Dominic was accepted to Barnard College, and Melina will be getting an acceptance letter from Marymount Manhattan as soon as they come to their senses," Rachel revealed.

"I got wait-listed, let's not be delusional about it," Melina corrected.

"Did you tell Alec yet?" Kurt asked her.

"No, I haven't talked to him since Thursday night. I talked to my dad, though."

"If he's anything like  _my_  dad, he thinks Marymount is crazy for not accepting you outright."

Melina smiled as she nodded.

"Pretty much. I'm still holding out hope for Juilliard, but I'm trying to keep my hopes in check."

"Well, either way, you have a fabulous apartment to live in. I haven't seen it myself, but Rachel showed me pictures."

"I was wondering how you knew it was fabulous even though you hadn't seen it," Melina admitted with a laugh.

"Maybe I'm just gifted, like Rachel and her psychic powers."

"Well, you certainly have a gift for fashion. Those shoes you found were gorgeous, and they didn't hurt my feet as much as I thought they would."

"You shouldn't have run out on your handsome boyfriend. Then they wouldn't hurt so much," Kurt teased.

"I had to make sure he'd run after me," Melina joked.

"Which he certainly did. Things are better now, then?"

"As good as they can be when he's in New York and I'm here in Ohio."

Before anyone could say anything else, they saw Shelby walk up onto the stage, which signaled the beginning of rehearsal and that she wanted their attention. Turning to face her, they all gave her their full attention.

* * *

"Are you coming out with Ethan and me tonight?" Alec's roommate, Aiden, asked him as he walked into the living room.

"No. I have homework, I need to rehearse, and I'm waiting for Melina call me back," Alec responded.

"Ah, the new girlfriend."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to see you end up with another psycho like the last one."

"She's not a psycho."

"That's what you said last time. What did your sisters think of her?"

"They like her. She was already friends with two of them before we met up again in December."

"Well, that's an improvement at least."

"You'd like her, too, if you met her."

"Well, invite her over."

"She doesn't live in New York. Not yet, anyway."

"Not yet?" Aiden wondered.

"She's going to be moving here in the fall. She'll be living in an apartment with her brother and a mutual friend," Alec answered.

"She's a twin, too?"

"No. It's her step-brother, really, but they just refer to each other as brother and sister-they grew up thinking of each other as such."

"Ah, gotcha. Well, I hope the long-distance thing works out for you, man."

"You and me both."

* * *

Feeling a bit of déjà vu, Melina walked into the kitchen the following Friday to find two large envelopes on the table. This time, however, both Anthony and her mother were already there.

"More acceptance letters?" Holly wondered as she and Dominic joined the group.

"I hope so," Penelope responded with a smile.

"You go first, Lina," Dominic encouraged.

"It's from Juilliard, what if I didn't get in?" Melina responded.

"If you don't open it soon,  _I'll_ open it for you," Holly told her.

"Okay, okay, here goes."

Opening the envelope, she took the letter out first. When she finished scanning the letter, she turned to her brother.

"I guess you really are stuck with me, big brother," she told him.

"You got in?" Dominic guessed.

Unable to keep her excitement at bay any longer, Melina grinned as she nodded.

"I'm going to Juilliard! Now open yours!"

After giving Melina a hug, Dominic opened his own envelope.

"Well?" Holly demanded, reaching for the letter, frowning when Dominic held it out of her reach.

"Come on, Dominic, tell us!" Melina demanded, wanting to celebrate with her family.

"I got in, too," he revealed with a grin.

"Congratulations, both of you," Anthony said as he hugged first his son, and then his step-daughter.

Melina hugged her mother tightly before she spoke again.

"Can we have some of your homemade pizza tonight?" she requested.

"Absolutely," Penelope responded with a smile. "I'll get started on it right away. You should go call your dad and then Alec."

"That's what I was about to do. I'll be in my room."

After giving another hug to her step-father, Melina walked out of the room as calmly as she could manage, dialing her father's number as she did so.

"Do you know if Mom has any meetings right now?" Dominic asked his father.

"She didn't mention it last time I talked to her. Her cell phone is probably your best bet to get a hold of her."

"You should call her," Holly encouraged.

"We'll watch Holly for you," Anthony joked.

Dominic laughed, leaning down to press a kiss to Holly's cheek before walked out of the room to call his mother.

"I'm getting recruited, aren't I?" Holly wondered as she looked at Penelope. "My Uncle Hiram gets that same look in his eye when he wants my help with something."

"I  _was_  hoping you would help with the pizza," Penelope revealed.

"I just need to let my mom know I won't be home for dinner, and then I will gladly help."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Later that night, just as she was about to begin working on her homework, Melina heard her phone ring. Glancing at the screen, she smiled when she saw that it was Alec calling her back.

"I have good news," she said as she answered the call.

"I gathered that from your message," Alec told her with a laugh.

"Well, do you want to know what it is or not?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"I got accepted to Juilliard!"

"I knew you would. Congratulations, Mel. Did Dominic get in, too?"

"He did," Melina confirmed. "Now it just needs to be like a month from now so I can see you again."

"I agree. You'll be busy, though, so I'm sure it will go by quickly. Your Regionals competition is coming up soon, too."

"Will you still be there?"

"Planning on it. It's the weekend before my spring break, so as long as everything goes according to plan, I'll be there," Alec responded, trying his best not to tell her about his plan to try and get back to Ohio in just a few days.

* * *

At rehearsal the following morning, Melina was immediately ambushed by Tasha and Tatiana.

"Well, did you get in?" Tasha demanded to know.

"What are you talking about?" Melina wondered.

"Juilliard. We figured it had something to do with Juilliard. Alec seemed happier than normal last night when he called, but he wouldn't tell us why," Tatiana revealed.

"You don't seem as glum as last week, so I'm going to guess you got in," Tasha added.

Melina grinned at her friends as she nodded.

"I'm going to Juilliard!" she exclaimed.

"Mama will be happy when I tell her. Or better yet, you should come over after rehearsal and tell her yourself."


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N:**  I have created a new story called "A New Future", which is basically future-shots of the characters/storylines from this story. It takes place about two years from the time this story occurs. 2. For those who are interested, I found the person I would cast as Jack if I were able to cast my OCs. I posted the picture on my tumblr and I found a picture of him with Idina (dressed as Shelby), so I posted that as well.

**Disclaimer:**  same as always, only my OCs are mine.

* * *

"What are you doing next weekend?" Aiden asked as he walked into the living room he and Alec shared.

"Uh, nothing that I'm aware of, since I can't get back to Ohio," Alec answered. "Why?"

"Do you remember me telling you about the big 50th wedding anniversary party my mom and her siblings are throwing my grandparents?"

"The one you keep telling me you don't want to go to?"

"Yeah, that one. I'm happy for them and all; I just don't really want to explain to anyone else why I'm moving to Chicago at the end of the summer."

"You mean a job isn't a good enough reason?"

"I guess not."

"Okay, so why did you bring up your grandparents' party?"

"My brother was supposed to take the second ticket. My parents didn't know he'd already booked one. They're all non-refundable. My mom heard about your new girlfriend and she wanted me to ask you if you'd like to take the last ticket. She says you don't have to pay them back, either. She apparently thinks how you and the new girl met is romantic."

"Melina. Her name is Melina."

"Right. Melina. Anyway, you have a free ticket back to Ohio for the weekend if you want it. At least one of us should have a good time this weekend."

"I'll take it," Alec confirmed. "When do we leave?"

"Friday afternoon."

"I suppose I better call  _my_  mother before she finds out from yours that I'll be there."

"Probably a good idea," Aiden agreed. "I need to go finish packing….and try to think of a good reason why I don't have a date to this thing, either."

Alec chuckled as he watched his friend walk out of the room. Grabbing his phone off of the nearby table, he quickly sent a couple of texts before promptly calling his mother.

* * *

"Mama, I left Dmitry at rehearsal and brought Melina home instead. I hope that's okay," Tasha called as she walked into the house with Melina, Dmitry, and Tatiana.

"You almost actually did leave me. I think you did it on purpose," Dmitry retorted.

"Dmitry, Tasha, be nice. You're almost as bad as Holly and Liam," Talia told them as she joined the group in the living room. Turning to Melina, she smiled. "I hear you have good news. Alec wouldn't tell us what, just that it was good."

"I got accepted to Juilliard," Melina revealed with a wide smile.

"I knew you would! I'm so happy for you!" Talia exclaimed before immediately wrapping Melina in a tight hug.

"Thank you. I'm not sure who was more excited-me, my parents, Dominic, or Alec. Holly just threatened to open my letter."

"That's our Holly. Are you hungry? Have any of you eaten?"

"Well, Dmitry is a boy, so he's always hungry, but I think the rest of us are, too. I know I am," Tatiana responded.

"I guess it's a good thing dinner is almost ready, then," Talia told her youngest daughter with a smile.

* * *

"Are you planning another party?" Jesse teased as he noticed Rachel's new list.

"Kind of, I guess," Rachel answered. "I want to do something special for my parents for Valentine's Day. This is my Mom and Jack's first one since they got back together, and my dads haven't really done anything special for it in years. Daddy says he has to be at the restaurant that night, since he's sure it will be busy, but I wanted to maybe make them breakfast or something. I'm still brainstorming."

"It seems to me like you're stuck."

"Unfortunately. I kind of feel like I have all of these ideas in my head and I don't really know how to make sense of them."

"Maybe you should take a break, then. Gen called, she wanted to know if we wanted to join her, Joel, and my grandma for dinner."

"That sounds like fun, sure," Rachel agreed with a smile. "I just have to let one of my parents know we'll be gone for a little while."

"Okay, just let me text Gen back first. She's been asking to see you, so I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

Once he had sent the text to his sister, Jesse took Rachel's hand and walked with her to find one of her parents.

* * *

"You look like something's on your mind," Melina said as she took a seat next to Holly at rehearsal the next morning.

"No, just kind of thinking," Holly answered with a smile.

"My brother isn't being an idiot, is he?"

Holly laughed as she shook her head.

"No. He's great. He bought me coffee this morning-he even had it for me when he picked me up. He was a couple of minutes late, but he was forgiven because he got me coffee."

"Well, now I know why he was in such a hurry this morning. Seriously, though, what's on your mind? You seem troubled."

"Just having one of those days where I constantly want to pinch myself because I think I'm in a dream."

Melina nodded in understanding before she grinned and reached out to lightly pinch Holly.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Holly exclaimed, doing her best not to laugh.

"You said you wanted to pinch yourself-I figured I'd just save you the trouble."

"What are we, four?"

Melina laughed as she shook her head.

"Don't be so glum. Besides, if I hadn't pinched you, Rachel would have bombarded you with questions until you spilled your guts…and then she'd give you a Shelby-like lecture about believing in yourself."

"Why are you in such a good mood, anyway?" Holly asked as she rubbed her arm, though it didn't really hurt.

"I got accepted to Juilliard, my parents said I could spend spring break in New York with Alec, and he will be here for Regionals, then for the week after that. Plus my dad said he'd be there and he's looking at apartments in Akron."

"Get Jack to help-he seems pretty good at finding places for people to live."

"That's not a bad idea, actually. I'll talk to him after rehearsal."

"I think I should text Alec and tell him not to answer your next phone call. You're entirely too chipper this morning."

"Ignore her. She tells me that every morning," Rachel advised as she took a seat on the other side of Holly.

"Yes, well, we can't all have gorgeous, talented boyfriends bring us coffee every morning," Holly retorted, causing Rachel to send her an annoyed look and Melina to laugh.

"Umm, didn't  _your_  boyfriend bring you coffee this morning? Without being asked?" Melina reminded her.

"That's beside the point."

"Dominic surprised you with coffee?" Rachel asked. "Aw, that's so sweet."

"He's learning," Holly replied, this time eliciting laughter from both of the other girls.

"My Mom said to tell you we're all having dinner at our house tonight-Grandma is coming over to cook with my Daddy. Grandpa said he'd pick up Liam from basketball practice, too."

"Good.  _Maintenant je n'aurai pas à l'entendre se plaindre toute la nuit_."

Melina turned to Rachel, wondering if the younger girl understood Holly any more than she did. When Rachel simply shrugged in response, Melina turned back to her friend.

"Translate that, please."

"Liam's always whining about how he has to wait for me and he can't wait until he gets his license next year. I was just saying how I won't have to listen to him do that all night," Holly explained. "I thought you took French?"

"Yeah, in junior high…for one semester. I took three years of Spanish in high school. I can say "my name Melina" in French and that's about the extent of my French-language retention."

"Stop being such a spoilsport," Rachel told her cousin. "Grandma and my Daddy are cooking. You know it's going to be delicious."

Holly stuck her tongue out at her cousin, making Melina laugh again.

"Now who's acting like a four-year-old?" she asked.

" _Personne ne vous a demandé_ ," Holly immediately replied.

* * *

"Welcome home, darlings," Tabitha greeted as she saw Rachel, Jesse, Holly, Dominic, and Melina walk into the room.

"I hope you don't mind, we invited Melina, too," Rachel said as she hugged her grandmother.

"Not at all. Your Daddy and I made plenty of food."

"Good. I'm  _starving_."

"Always such a drama queen," Dominic said with a sigh and a good-natured roll of his eyes.

"You're the one that said you were sure you wanted her," Liam reminded him, earning a glare from his sister and laughter from the rest of the room's occupants.

"All of these people remind me of the dinners my Grandma used to make when she visited," Melina commented as she took a seat next to Dominic.

"Aren't we missing someone?" Tabitha inquired as she set a plate of food on the table.

"Who would we be missing, Grandma?" Rachel asked, glancing around the room to see if she could discover the answer.

"I forget his name…that other handsome boy Melina went to the dance with. Alex?"

"Alec," Melina corrected with a smile, "and he's in New York. He's a sophomore at Juilliard."

"That seems to be a popular school amongst your group."

"I guess so. It's a really good school. Dominic and I have dreamed of it since we were little."

"From what I hear, that's another dream that's about to come true for you."

"It is," Melina confirmed with a smile.

"I think we have everything," Hiram said, changing the subject. "What do you think, Tabitha?"

Tabitha looked around the table and nodded to herself when she saw everything was there.

"I think so, too. I'm sure they're all starving, at least I know Holly is, so we should eat."

"Why does everyone always pick on  _me_?" Holly wondered with a dramatic sigh.

"Because it's  _fun_ ," Liam replied.

"Okay, you two, that's enough," Sara told her children. "Behave yourselves, please."

As their family talked, Charles looked over at his wife, who looked happier than ever.

"I think we made the right decision," he whispered to her.

"I'm  _know_  we did," Tabitha replied, reaching over to squeeze his hand as she beamed at her family.

* * *

As she walked out of rehearsal the following night, Rachel noticed an unfamiliar number flash across her phone's screen. Recognizing the area code and having a feeling she knew who it was, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Rachel?"

"Yes, this is her. Who is this?"

"Sorry. This is Alec-Melina's boyfriend, Tasha's brother."

"What can I do for you, Alec?" Rachel wondered with a smile.

"Holly says you're the one to go to if I want help with a romantic surprise. She's the one who gave me your number."

"I can certainly try. I take it you want to surprise Melina for Valentine's Day?"

"That's right. I already have a plane ticket; I'll be there Friday night. I know it's your weekend off from rehearsal, so I was hoping you could help distract Melina until I get there."

"That shouldn't be a problem. Am I allowed to tell Jesse?"

"You can tell anyone who won't tell Melina. If that means getting the whole group involved, so be it."

"Okay, then. Do you have any ideas?"

"A couple, actually," Alec admitted.

Rachel smiled, regardless of the fact that the older boy couldn't see her.

"Tell me, and then we'll go from there."

* * *

"I take it you and Alec are conspiring together to surprise Melina?" Jesse inquired as he and Rachel began their routine.

"Sort of," Rachel agreed. "It's more like I'm helping him with it. He really is head over heels for her. It's cute."

"I know the feeling."

Rachel shared a smile with her boyfriend in the mirror before she began to speak again.

"He said Melina is special, so she deserves special things."

"Mm. It seems I may have some more competition for the boyfriend of the year award."

Rachel turned to quickly brush her lips with Jesse's and then continued talking.

"I'm not matchmaking. They're already together, and from what I've seen and heard, they intend to stay that way. It gives me hope for the next couple of years."

"Rach…" Jesse started, only to be cut off by Rachel shaking her head.

"I know we've essentially talked this topic to death, but it's just kind of…nice…to see another couple making the long-distance thing work."

Jesse pressed a kiss to the top of Rachel's head before he spoke.

"I understand," he told her. "Is there anything I can do to help with your plan?"

"It's really Alec's plan, with a few of my suggestions, but we could use all of the help we can get. He said I can tell anyone who will help-as long as they don't tell Melina. To answer your question, though, I could definitely use your help."

"Just tell me what I need to do."

Rachel beamed at her boyfriend before she began to fill him in on what she had decided would be his part of the plan. The fact that he was so willing to participate in her grand schemes only made her love him more.

* * *

Walking into school the Friday before Valentine's Day, Melina frowned as she saw the tables set up where students could buy flowers for each other, which would then be delivered throughout the day. Although she was happy for her friends who  _did_  have their significant others with them, it didn't lessen the feeling of missing Alec. She had spoken to him last night before going to sleep, and she knew she'd see him again in a couple more weeks, but it wasn't the same.

"Why the long face?" Holly wondered as she met up with her friend.

"Just thinking," Melina responded. "Don't worry."

"I could send you a flower if it would make you feel better," Holly offered, hoping to get her friend to laugh.

Melina laughed a little as she shook her head.

"That's okay, but thank you. I wouldn't put it past Alec to somehow get me flowers today, anyway. He said he'd talk to me later tonight, too. Apparently his best friend wants to meet me, too."

"Aiden. He's also Alec's roommate. Aiden's parents still live next door to Alec's."

"So they've been friends for a long time."

"Yeah, I guess so. They've always been partners in crime, as Aunt Talia likes to say."

"Good to know."

"I'm sure he'll like you, Lina, so don't worry about it," Holly told her before changing the subject. "Did you decide what you're wearing to dinner tonight?"

"What I have on?" Melina answered, confused. "It's at  _Prime Thyme_ , right?"

"Yes."

"Is there something wrong with what I have on?"

"No, it's very cute, it'll work just fine. I know Rachel has another entire outfit planned, so I just thought I'd see if I was the only one not planning on getting super dressed up for this. Besides Dominic, that is."

"I don't think Tasha is, either. She said she might change shoes, but that's about it."

"Good. I like my outfit; I think it's just fine."

"I agree."

* * *

"Thank you again for letting me hide out back here," Alec said to Hiram as he waited for Melina and the rest of the group to finish dinner.

"It was no problem, really," Hiram insisted with a smile. "I'm actually interested to see Melina's reaction. I appreciate grand romantic gestures. Just ask my husband or daughter."

"I don't know if I'd call this grand. I pretty much owe it all to Aiden's family not checking with each other before booking plane tickets."

"Somehow I don't think that's the whole story."

"What do you mean?"

"You said your friend had expressed interest in meeting Melina. Maybe  _he_  was supposed to tell his brother not to purchase the ticket, but didn't because he a. didn't want to fly back here alone and b. wanted to meet your new girlfriend."

Alec was silent for a moment as he thought about Hiram's theory.

"I think it was probably more Aiden  _forgot_  to tell his brother not to buy the ticket, so his parents told him he better find a good use for that third ticket. They were probably hoping he'd bring home a girl, but still."

Hiram laughed as he nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense, and you know him better than I do."

"You know Aiden?" Alec asked in surprise.

"I've never met him, only spoken to him over the phone a couple of times. He called inquiring about the catering service I provide. Something about a 50th wedding anniversary party he was helping with."

"His maternal grandparents'" Alec confirmed. "I don't remember mentioning this place to him, not that the food isn't good, I just don't remember doing it. I wonder how he found out about it."

"It's one of the questions I ask people when they call," Hiram revealed. "He said Tasha recommended my restaurant, raved about the food. I thought it would be Holly, honestly."

"That would have been my guess, too. I guess I'll have to ask Aiden and/or Tasha about it at some point. Right now, I want to spend time with my girlfriend, who I hope is happy to see me."

"I'm sure she will be. I'm just waiting for Rachel's text, and then you can go out the other doors and surprise her. She'll be sitting with her back towards you."

"Great. I owe Rachel for this, too. I wouldn't have been able to pull it off without her help-without the whole group's help, really."

"I can't speak for everyone, but I know my daughter, and seeing how happy this will make Melina is payment enough for her. I'm sure she probably already told you that, though."

"She did," Alec confirmed.

"Then you don't need to worry about owing her anything," Hiram assured the younger man before they were interrupted by the sound of an incoming text message.

"I guess that's my signal?"

Hiram smiled and nodded, handing Alec the jacket he had discarded earlier. Once he had put his jacket back on, Alec grabbed the bouquet of red roses he had purchased and headed towards the designated doors. Taking a deep breath, he walked out the doors and hoped no one would give away that he was there before Melina realized it.

* * *

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mel."

Melina's eyes widened as she first saw the bouquet of roses set on the table in front of her and then recognized the voice of the person who had given them to her. Turning around, she saw Alec standing there, but suddenly couldn't find words to express how she was feeling.

"Well, don't I get a hug at least?" Alec asked with a small smile.

Instead of answering with words, Melina simply stood and then immediately hugged her boyfriend tightly.

"You're really here," she whispered.

Alec smiled as he wrapped his arms around Melina, returning her hug.

"I'm really here," he confirmed. "I'm sorry for not telling you, it was kind of last-minute, and I wanted to surprise you."

"I don't care. You're here."

* * *

Watching Alec and Melina's reunion, Rachel felt tears prick her eyes. She was happy to have been a part of the surprise. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Jesse's hand grip hers. Looking over, she saw that he was smiling at her. Returning his smile, she laced their fingers together and then laid her head on his shoulder. When she noticed another person who looked to be about the same age as Alec walk in, then saw Tasha's confused look, she lifted her head to whisper her question to Jesse.

"Do you know who that is?" she asked.

"My guess would be Aiden, since Tasha recognized him and I think Holly did, too. I don't know why he's here, though."

"I guess we'll find out. It looks like he's headed over."

"Did you get a picture for Melina and Alec?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Daddy said he'd get a frame, I just have to give him my camera so he can get the picture developed."

"They'll love it, I'm sure."

"I was planning on giving it to them before he leaves on Sunday. I thought it would be something nice for them to have. With surprises like this, though, he's going to have to be really creative if he plans on proposing to her in the future."

Jesse chuckled as he pressed a kiss to Rachel's temple.

"I'm sure he'll think of something."

* * *

Walking into  _Prime Thyme_ , Aiden looked around to see if he could spot the group of friends Alec's new girlfriend belonged to. He knew Holly and Tasha were part of it, but he didn't realize just how large a group it was until he walked in. The blonde-haired girl at the end of the table looked like the girl in Alec's pictures, so he determined she must be Melina. Realizing he walked in just as Alec was surprising said girlfriend, he stopped to watch the scene unfold, pointedly ignoring Tasha's confused look as he tried to find a way to get to the group without being noticed.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded as Aiden walked up behind her.

"My mom sent me with a final check for Hiram. She also wants to meet Melina," Aiden answered.

"Can't that meeting wait?"

"That's what I asked my mother. She just said she thought it would be better to do it tonight while they're still out instead of later in the weekend when they might have other plans."

Tasha rolled her eyes before pushing back her chair and standing.

"Come on, I'll show you where you can drop off the check," she said.

"How do you know?"

"The owner is my friend's dad. Well, one of them anyway. To avoid getting sucked into helping at the dance studio over break, Hiram let me help with the catering portion of his business."

Aiden nodded as he followed the younger girl, glancing over at Melina and Alec as he did so.

The truth was, he'd volunteered to bring the check over. He and Tasha had been talking more as of late, and he'd discovered they had more in common than he originally thought, plus he really didn't want to go back to the party alone. Since the rest of the group appeared to be paired off and they were the only two single people left, plus the fact that she liked his family and vice versa, he thought he might be able to convince her to come back to the party with him.

He also wanted to meet Melina. He hadn't been a big fan of Alec's previous girlfriends, especially the last one, but Tasha and Alec had both assured him that Melina was different. She had siblings of her own that she enjoyed spending time with and she never had a problem with Alec spending time with any of them or any of his friends. It was a nice change, but he was still wary.

"Hello, Earth to Aiden," Tasha said as she waved a hand in front of Aiden's face in an attempt to get his attention.

"Sorry, just thinking."

"Uh-huh. Whatever. Fill out this piece of paper, write your last name on the envelope and then put it in the slot. Once you've done that, I'll take you to meet Melina. I still don't see why you can't take my word for it that she's different, better."

"He's my best friend. I don't want to see him get him get messed with again."

Tasha rolled her eyes as she sighed.

"She's not going to  _mess_  with him, as you put it."

"I still want to meet her."

"Ugh. Boys. So stubborn."

"I could say the same about you, Natasha."

"It's Tasha now."

"Nope," Aiden disagreed with a shake of his head. "It's Natasha. Your name is Natasha. Tasha is your nickname, and I prefer your real name."

"Whatever makes you happy, I guess. Come on; let's go, since I know you won't leave any of us alone until you get your way."

* * *

**Translations:**

Maintenant je n'aurai pas à l'entendre se plaindre toute la nuit = now I won't have to listen to him whine all night

Personne ne vous a demandé = nobody asked you


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N:**  Part 2 of Valentine's Day weekend. Hope you all enjoy :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

"I found an intruder," Tasha informed her group of friends as she and Aiden walked up to them.

"I am  _not_  an intruder. I have a perfectly legitimate reason for being here," Aiden shot back.

"That's what you think."

"Tasha, please," Alec pleaded, using the same tone as he used with their mother when he wanted her to stop doing something.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Tasha insisted.

"I guess you're getting your wish early, Mel," Alec said to his girlfriend.

"Another happy surprise," Melina replied with a smile before turning to her boyfriend's best friend. "You must be Aiden. It's nice to finally meet you."

"You wanted to meet me?" Aiden asked, clearly surprised.

"Of course. You're Alec's best friend, you're important to him. Why wouldn't I want to meet you?"

"I…don't know. I just wasn't expecting it, I guess."

"I guess it's a night full of surprises, then," Melina told him with a smile.

"I guess so," Aiden agreed, returning Melina's smile. "It's nice to meet you, too, Melina."

"I'm surprised your parents let you leave," Alec commented a few minutes later, after the rest of the introductions had been made.

"My mom forgot to drop off the second part of the payment for the catering, so I told her I'd drop it off for her. She insisted on getting it to Mr. Berry tonight. I also got tired of being asked when I was going to get a serious girlfriend."

"Why don't you stay with us for a little while longer, then?" Melina suggested.

"I really should be getting back, but thank you. I know you and Alec want to spend time together, but you're both welcome to come back to the party with me. My mom has been asking about Natasha, too. Although she seems pretty annoyed with me, so I doubt she'd go."

Melina turned to her boyfriend, who shrugged in a 'whatever you want' way.

"Come on, Tasha, you're coming with us," Melina told the younger girl.

"Absolutely not," Tasha replied.

"Stop being such a spoilsport, Tasha," Holly added.

"I agreed to dinner, to help surprise Melina. I didn't agree to a party."

"It's not like you've never met these people before."

"I don't care."

"I wish you would," Melina said. "I know I'd feel more comfortable if there was more than one person there that I hadn't just met."

Tasha sighed, a sign that she'd given in-which made Melina smile, Alec laugh, and surprised Aiden. After saying goodbye to the rest of the group, the newly-formed foursome made their way outside.

* * *

"Hi, Daddy," Rachel greeted as she, Jesse, Holly, and Dominic walked into the back of the restaurant.

"Hi, sweetie," Hiram returned with a smile as he received a hug from his daughter. "How was your dinner?"

"Do you even haven to ask?" Holly asked. "Your food is always delicious, Uncle Hiram."

"Well, it wasn't all my cooking. My recipes, but I didn't cook all of your meals."

"I didn't hear any complaints," Jesse told Hiram. "Well, not about the food anyway."

Hiram chuckled as he caught into Jesse's meaning.

"Kind of reminds me of those two when they first met," Hiram responded, nodding his head towards Holly and Dominic.

"Except Tasha and Aiden have known each other since they were kids," Holly pointed out. "I doubt she thinks of him that way, anyway."

"I think you might be wrong there, cousin," Rachel theorized.

"Well, whatever they have going on, I'm not going to think about it this weekend. I want to relax, since it's our last weekend off before Regionals…and that means Aunt Shelby is going to kick our butts in rehearsals."

Hiram chuckled as he handed her a to-go box.

"I thought you two might want dessert, so I made something for you to take home and eat when you get hungry," he explained.

"You're the best, Uncle Hiram," Holly told him with a smile. "Are you and Uncle Leroy doing anything for Valentine's Day?"

"We don't really have anything planned, since it's going to be a busy weekend here and I feel I should be here to help my staff."

"Maybe something will work out and you two can at least spend some time just the two of you."

"I hope so," Hiram agreed with a smile. "Are you going home or to Dominic's?"

"Home, but bringing Dominic with me," Holly answered.

"Drive safe and be careful."

"We will. 'Bye Uncle Hiram."

Once Holly and Dominic had left, Rachel hugged her father again.

"I think we're going to head home, too. Thanks again for helping us surprise Melina."

"You're very welcome," Hiram responded as he handed her another to-go box. "Dessert for you and Jesse."

"Come on, Rach, we should get going before it's too late. You said yourself you wanted to get some extra sleep this weekend."

"Jesse's right, sweetie, you should get your rest this weekend," Hiram agreed. "Text me when you get home, and I'll see you both in the morning."

"I will," Rachel promised before she and Jesse walked out the door.

* * *

"Don't forget to set the alarm so we can make breakfast tomorrow," Rachel reminded Jesse as they walked into her room.

"Already done," Jesse informed her with a smile.

"You're the best."

"I try to be-for you."

Rachel smiled as she walked over to Jesse and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I know the dinner with friends probably wasn't exactly what you wanted to do tonight, but thank you for agreeing to it."

"Would I rather have had you to myself? Sure. However, I did have fun with our friends, and it was kind of fun to help Alec pull off his surprise, and seeing the look on Melina's face when she saw him told me I made the right decision."

"It was a very sweet moment for them," Rachel agreed with a smile. "I'm glad we were there for it."

"Plus we got to eat really good food," Jesse pointed out, making Rachel laugh.

"At least we have the weekend off, so we still have time to do something just the two of us."

"We'll figure something out. We always do."

* * *

"It can't be time to wake up already," Rachel whined as she heard the sound of her alarm clock.

Jesse chuckled as he glanced at the clock.

"I'm afraid it is, my love. You're the one who wanted to make breakfast."

"I might need a nap later, then. I didn't realize how late we stayed up watching the movie."

"I'd be on board with a nap."

Rachel laughed as she pushed at Jesse's shoulder.

"Come on, smart guy, you promised to help."

Jesse leaned over to steal a kiss from Rachel before he responded.

"I am going to help. I just needed some extra motivation first."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Jess."

Jesse simply smiled as he stood and then held out his hand for his girlfriend. Returning her boyfriend's smile, Rachel placed her hand in Jesse's before they walked hand-in-hand downstairs.

* * *

"You two are up early," Jack commented as he saw Rachel and Jesse walk into the kitchen.

"I didn't know you'd be awake…" Rachel started.

"I wanted to bring your Mom breakfast in bed. Now that you're here, maybe you can help me make it more than some toast and eggs."

"You start the pancakes, and I'll get the table set up for Hiram and Leroy," Jesse told his girlfriend. "It kind of actually works out this way-you're still making breakfast for all of your parents, and each couple will get time alone together to enjoy it."

"You were planning on making us breakfast again?" Jack asked.

"That was the plan, but I think this one will actually be better," Rachel responded. "Would you mind making some more eggs while I make the pancakes?"

"I'm happy to help. While we cook, why don't you tell me how last night's dinner went?"

Rachel smiled and nodded, beginning to mix the pancake batter as she and Jesse filled Jack in on various parts of the dinner the previous night.

* * *

"Jack?" Shelby questioned as she heard someone open the door to her bedroom again.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Where did you go?"

"Turn on your lamp and find out."

Confused, but swearing she smelled food, Shelby did as Jack requested. When her eyes adjusted and she saw Jack holding a breakfast tray, she smiled.

"You know how to make pancakes?" she teased as he sat down beside her.

Jack laughed as he shook his head.

"No, that was all Rachel. She and Jesse were up early; they wanted to make breakfast for us, Hiram, and Leroy."

"So you enlisted her help?"

"Not really. It's more like we helped each other. She made pancakes, I made eggs. Jesse made coffee. It was a team effort."

Shelby couldn't help but smile at the thought of the three of them working together.

"I'll have to make sure to thank them both later."

"Don't I get a thank you?" Jack teased.

Shelby grinned as she leaned over to kiss her fiancé.

"Thank you," she told him.

* * *

Walking into the kitchen, Hiram was the first to notice the set-up on the table as well as the food waiting for them.

"Did the kids make breakfast again?" Leroy wondered.

"With Jack's help," Hiram replied. "They left us a card."

Leroy read the card Hiram handed to him, a smile blooming on his face as he did so.

"This was sweet, of all three of them. Did the kids get something to eat?"

"I'm pretty sure they're eating downstairs-I didn't hear any voices coming from either of their rooms."

"Jesse must have something planned."

"Most likely. I'm afraid our daughter is never going to stop being spoiled now."

Leroy chuckled as he and Hiram took their seats.

"She's happy, which is one of the most important things."

"She is. Now, I plan on fully taking advantage of having someone else do the cooking for a change."

* * *

When she walked into the basement, Rachel grinned when she saw how Jesse had re-arranged the room.

"When did you do this?" Rachel asked.

"It took a couple of days-mostly when I knew you were busy with either homework or spending time with your parents. Gen and Joel helped, too. I was hoping we could spend the day together, just the two of us."

"You know I can't say no to that. I haven't had you to myself for a whole day in a long time."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say. I set up a table by the stage, too."

"I suppose you already grabbed our iPods and put them down here," Rachel guessed.

Jesse flashed her a grin as he nodded.

"I wanted to make it special for you. It's our first Valentine's day together…I know I could have come up with something grand, and maybe I will someday, but honestly, I just wanted to spend time with you, relaxing and having fun."

"It's perfect," Rachel told him with a bright smile. "I love it. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Let's eat so we can get started on our day together. I assume there's going to be duets involved as well."

"The thought crossed my mind. I figured we'd do whatever we felt like, no set plans."

"It's perfect," Rachel repeated.

"These flowers are for you," Jesse explained as he and Rachel took their seats. "I couldn't think of another way to hide them, but I wanted you to have them, so Gen suggested I make them the centerpiece."

"They're gorgeous. I'll admire them some more later. Right now, I'd like to eat. I'm starving."

* * *

"Why are we dancing on our weekend off?" Holly questioned as Dominic led her downstairs.

"We're not. Lina said she put together something for us and it was down here. Even if we were going to dance, it's how we met, so I think it'd be fitting."

"You got me in trouble," Holly teased.

"I still don't think that was my fault, but at least I didn't almost hit someone with a heavy door," Dominic retorted with a laugh.

"Well, you shouldn't have been stalking me!"

"I was  _not_  stalking you. I told you-I went to talk to Shelby and you just happened to be there before me."

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing you have quick reflexes."

Dominic laughed again as he pulled Holly into his arms and bent his head to kiss her.

"I love you, drama queen," he told her.

"I love you, too, spoilsport," Holly replied with a grin of her own. "What did Lina leave for us?"

"It's a DVD. She says to watch it and she wishes us both a happy Valentine's Day."

"Well, let's go watch it, then."

"I think I know the spot. Let me grab my computer and then we can watch it. Follow me," Dominic said, grabbing Holly's hand and leading her upstairs.

* * *

"Don't look so glum, it's a nice day…for February, anyway," Aiden commented as he took a seat across from Tasha at a nearby coffee shop.

Tasha looked up from the computer she'd brought with her to send the older boy an annoyed look.

"Stop following me. Just because my older brother is otherwise occupied doesn't mean you have to step into that role," she snapped. "As for me being glum, that's really none of your business, either."

"Why are you here, anyway? What's wrong with your house?" Aiden questioned, ignoring Tasha's rant.

"I just wanted some time to myself, outside of the house."

"Why not go to the library, then?"

"I wanted coffee. Why are you here?"

"Same as you. I love my grandparents, but they're a bit much sometimes. Plus they're still in that gushy, lovey-dovey mood from their party last night. I'm happy for them and all, but I can only handle so much of it…and then the questioning comes."

"Questioning?"

"Yes, when I'm going to get a real job, when I'm going to get serious about a girl, when I'm going to get married, etc."

"Don't you have a real job?" Tasha wondered.

"Apparently working in a restaurant isn't a real job. It doesn't matter that I want to open my own someday, that I went to school for business so that I could learn the right way to do it and am working in a restaurant to gain that experience."

"So why Chicago, then?"

"Internship. It's not paid, so I'll have to work, too, but I'd be more involved with the business. I hate leaving Alec without a roommate, but he seemed to understand."

"He would. He knows you, and he understands that you're trying to get the experience required for the career you want. How are you done with school already, though?"

"I'm not. I'm taking some time off to work in the restaurant. I don't have the money to afford NYU anymore. I'm enjoying New York while I can."

"Do you think you'll go back?"

Aiden shrugged before he answered.

"Not sure. Maybe a change of scenery will be good for me."

"I don't think I want to go to New York for college," Tasha confessed. "Please don't say anything to anyone yet…it's just…I think I want something different. Not that New York isn't great, but I don't feel at home there the way Lina and Alec do."

"Who's Lina?" Aiden wondered.

"Melina. Only Alec calls her Mel."

"Right. That should have been obvious. You were saying you didn't want to go to New York?"

"I don't think so. Maybe Boston, maybe even Chicago, but not New York."

"Are you going to go for dance like Marina and Alec?"

"Mama wants me to look at dance schools, but I don't really want to dance professionally. I like doing it as more of a hobby, as something that helps me relax. It's always going to be a part of my life, but maybe I'll open my own dance studio or something."

"I could see you doing something like that."

"Really?"

"Sure. You've helped your parents for years; it'll probably come naturally to you."

"It's something to think about, I guess."

"You have some time. Don't worry too much about it right now. I should get going, but it was nice talking with you, Natasha."

Tasha frowned at the use of her full name, making Aiden chuckle as he walked away. Watching him leave, Tasha sighed and then shook her head before going back to her homework.

* * *

"So explain to me again how it is you're here right now," Melina requested as she and Alec lounged together in her room.

"Aiden. Something about a mix-up with tickets and having an extra one. I'm not sure I fully believe him, but I wasn't going to pass up the chance to spend the weekend with you."

"I should hope not."

Alec chuckled as he pressed a kiss to Melina's temple.

"What I  _would_  like to pass up is trying to find a new roommate, since Aiden is moving."

"What if you had  _three_  new roommates?" Melina wondered.  
Not following his girlfriend's train of thought, Alec gave her a confused look before he answered.

"What are you talking about? Why would I want three roommates in a two-bedroom apartment?"

Melina laughed as she shook her head.

"No. Not in your current apartment. What if you just moved in with Dominic, Jesse, and me? Obviously we'd have to make sure Jack is okay with it, since it's his place and he's just letting us live there, and then Dominic and Jesse, too."

"I don't really know Jesse or Dominic, but I'm certainly not going to pass up the chance to not have to live apart from you anymore. Are you sure that's not moving too quickly, though?"

"I wish you'd stop asking me that. I told you-I'll tell you if I think things are moving too quickly or if I feel pressured. It's perfectly timed. Your lease ends at the end of August, which is the same month Jack said we'd be able to move into the apartment there."

"I think it's worth a shot, then. We'll talk to everyone tomorrow before I leave. I was thinking we could get lunch at that Greek restaurant you love so much and then find a movie."

"Sounds like a plan. I just need to shower and change, and then we can go," Melina said with a smile before quickly kissing Alec and then walking down the hall to the bathroom.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure I went from starving to stuffed, but I don't care," Rachel commented as she and Jesse settled on one of the couches facing the movie screen.

Jesse chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"I may have to ask Jack what his secret to those eggs are."

"It was nice of him to make a serving of vegan scrambled eggs for me, too."

"Did you ever doubt he would?"

"No. He adores me, just like you and my parents."

"Don't forget your grandparents. Although I think your grandma adores me, too."

"Oh, I know she does. Don't be surprised if you receive care packages from her as well as my Daddy next year."

"I'm pretty sure I'll get some of those from my grandma and Gen, too."

"Most likely," Rachel agreed. "You should pick the first movie."

"I was hoping you'd say that…it's already in the DVD player," Jesse confessed, making Rachel laugh.

"Then I guess that means we should watch it. What movie did you pick?"

"You'll see. I think you'll approve," Jesse responded as he pressed the  _play_  button on the remote.

* * *

"Why aren't you ready to go yet?" Liv asked her older sister as they passed each other in the hallway. "We're supposed to leave in 5 minutes."

"To go where?" Melina wondered, not remembering making any plans with her sister.

"The mall. To meet my friends. You promised to take me. Are you going to cancel now that your boyfriend is here?"

"I'm sorry, Liv, I forgot. I'll get Mom to take you-I won't be ready in five minutes."

"I'll go ask Mom. Don't worry about it," Liv snapped in return.

"Olivia. I'm trying to help you."

"I don't need your help."

"All of this attitude because I forgot about taking you to the mall? I'm sorry I have other things going on and that I forgot. There's no need for you give me attitude."

"You're always busy. I thought when you moved here, I'd see you more, but clearly I was wrong," Liv returned before turning on her heel and practically running downstairs.

"Sisterly love. Always so kind," Alec teased as he walked up to his girlfriend.

"Ugh. It's not like I purposely made it so I couldn't take her. It's just a trip to the mall."

"You know it's more than that."

Melina sighed as she nodded.

"I know, I just need to give her time to cool off. She'll vent to her friends and then by the time she gets home, she'll be calm enough to talk to me."

"You should finish getting ready. I'd like to see if I can get Liv to talk to me. It worked for my sisters-maybe it'll work for you and Liv."

"You can try, but I'm not guaranteeing anything. Either way, it means a lot that you're willing to play peacemaker again."

Alec smiled at her as he bent to press a kiss to her cheek.

"I'd do anything for you," he told her before walking downstairs.

* * *

As he'd expected, Alec saw Liv waiting for her mother in the entryway.

"Are you leaving?" she wondered as she watched him walk into the room.

"No. I was hoping we could chat for a minute, though."

"You don't need to play peacemaker. I know I was wrong to snap at my sister. My mom already scolded me, too."

"I have three sisters, you know," Alec began.

"You do?"

"Yes-a twin sister, plus two younger sisters. Tatiana is just a year older than you, actually. Tasha is the same age as Holly. I also have a younger brother, he's Tatiana's twin, but he doesn't cause much drama."

"I'm guessing your sisters fight like Melina and I just did."

"Not quite, a bit more dramatically actually-with at least one door slam involved-but, basically, yes. I can't say that I know what it's like being a younger sibling, but I can say that I know that  _your_ sister cares about you a lot. She even told me one of the things she's enjoyed most about being here is having more time to spend with you and the rest of her siblings."

"She said that?"

"She did."

"She misses you when you're gone; I know she's happy you're here. I was just kind of hoping she and I could spend time just the two of us."

"I'm sure you two can figure something out."

"Can I ask you something?" Liv asked cautiously.

"Sure."

"Are you just talking to me because you want to make Melina feel better?"

"Partly, to be honest. I haven't really had a chance to chat with you, either, and I thought it might help to talk to someone who can relate, who can see both sides."

Liv nodded before posing her next question.

"Do you love my sister?"

"Yes," Alec answered without hesitation.

"Do you think you'll marry her?"

"Someday."

"Then we'll have plenty of time to chat more. You said your sister's name was Tatiana, right?"

"Yes. Marina is my twin, Tasha is the middle one, and Tatiana is the youngest. You were with when everyone was getting ready for the winter formal, weren't you?"

"Yeah, but there were so many people, it was hard to remember them all."

Alec chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"That's true."

Before either could say anything else, they saw Penelope walk into the room.

"Ready to go, Liv?" she asked her daughter.

"I'll be right out," Liv promised. "I just need to get something from upstairs."

"Two minutes or we really will be late."

"Yes, Mom."

* * *

Just as she turned to walk out of her room, Melina saw her sister standing in the doorway.

"I thought you were in a hurry to get to the mall?" she wondered.

"I am, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry," Liv explained. "I'm going to buy that new movie we wanted to see, but didn't get time to while it was in theaters. Maybe we could watch it tomorrow night?"

Melina smiled at her sister as she nodded.

"Sure. Sounds like a plan. Don't forget your coat."

"Yes,  _mom_ ," Liv teased before walking back downstairs to put on her coat before walking out the door.

* * *

"I don't know what you said to her, but thank you," Melina said to Alec as he walked into her room.

"I guess my peacemaker skills are still of good use," Alec responded with a smile.

Melina laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"I guess so. I just need to put on my shoes and coat, and then we can go."

"I'll go start the car," Alec volunteered.

"You're the best."

"I try. I just want to make you happy."

Melina leaned up to brush her lips with Alec's.

"You do make me happy…and I'm glad we didn't wait until I moved to New York to start dating."

Alec smiled, leaning down to kiss her again.

"For the record, I would have waited that long if that's what it took to get my chance with you."

"I know…but still. I'm glad we didn't wait that long."

"Me, too," Alec confessed as they walked downstairs together.

In answer, Melina simply laced her fingers with Alec's as she smiled. She was looking forward to spending the day with him, still wanting to touch him to make sure he was really here and she wasn't just dreaming.


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N:**  Regionals are finally here! I hope you all enjoy! Songs for each team will be listed at the end of the chapter.

Also, I know canon says Aural Intensity is from Fort Wayne, Indiana, but for the purpose of my story, they're from Toledo. It always made more sense to me for Regionals to be kind of like a state competition, and the winner from that would go on to Nationals. So that's how it works in my story :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee, just my OCs.

* * *

"You look troubled," Rachel commented as she took a seat next to Melina before rehearsal the following Monday.

"Just thinking," Melina replied with a small smile.

"Anything I can do to help?"

Melina thought about her friend's question for a minute before she answered.

"Maybe. Do you think your Daddy would be open to having an intern?"

"Probably. Why?"

"Alec's best friend, Aiden, wants to open his own restaurant. He's been taking business classes at NYU and working part-time at a restaurant near the apartment he and Alec share. He's moving because he was offered an internship at a restaurant in Chicago, and he can't afford NYU anymore."

"Is that not what he wants?" Rachel wondered. "The internship, I mean."

"It is, but the internship is unpaid and he'd have to work at another job on top of the internship, plus he hasn't found an apartment or roommate yet. I'm not sure he's found a job yet, either, to be honest."

Rachel smiled as she understood Melina's train of thought.

"I could talk to my Daddy about it. His restaurant is still new, but he's been helping other business owners for years, so it's not like he doesn't have the experience to help Aiden. I know he's been looking for a restaurant manager, someone he can trust to keep things under control when he can't be there."

"Doesn't he already have one?"

"He does, but she's leaving in a few months. Her husband was transferred to Indiana, so they're moving at the beginning of the summer."

"Alec said the lease for their apartment is up in August, but I'm sure Aiden will be here throughout the summer, since his family is here."

"I'll talk to my Daddy about it and see what he thinks. Just don't say anything to anyone, not even Alec, until I know more."

"I won't. Thank you."

"While we're on the subject of Aiden….what do you think about him and Tasha?"

* * *

As he was getting ready to leave the auditorium after rehearsal, Jesse felt a hand on his arm. Turning, he saw it was Melina who wanted his attention.

"I have a favor to ask," she began.

"What is it?" Jesse wondered.

"It's about the apartment in New York."

"Did you change your mind?"

"Um, no, not really. I still plan on living there…I was just wondering how you would feel about a third roommate."

"I guess that depends on who it is," Jesse answered, unsure who Melina could be thinking of.

"Alec. My boyfriend. He lives with his best friend right now, but his friend is moving at the end of the summer, right as our lease begins."

"You'll have to make sure Jack is okay with it, though I don't know why he wouldn't be, but it's fine with me. I assume you already talked to Dominic about it?"

Melina nodded in agreement before she spoke again.

"I did. He was okay with it, and I plan on asking Jack, too. I just wanted to talk to both you and Dominic, make sure you were both okay with it, before I approached Jack about it."

"I'm fine with it. He and I haven't really had much of a chance to get to know each other, but he seems like a nice guy, and Rachel assures me that he makes you very happy."

"He does," Melina confirmed with a smile. "Thank you, Jesse."

"You're welcome," Jesse responded, returning Melina's smile. "If you need anything else, just let me know."

"I will. Thanks again," Melina assured him before walking away so she could find Jack before he left.

* * *

The Friday before Vocal Adrenaline's Regionals competition, Shelby and Jack made sure all of the members were present before addressing them.

"Principal Hawthorne has requested that I reiterate to all of you that she expects each and every one of you to be on your best behavior this weekend, and that you are all representatives of not only Vocal Adrenaline, but of Carmel as well," Shelby began.

"Shelby and I also wanted to say that we are extremely proud of all of you. No matter what happens this weekend, although we are confident we'll win, we will still be proud of you," Jack added.

"We have divided you up into groups of two and assigned each group a room. Additionally, we do not want any of you going off on your own. Principal Hawthorne has agreed to pay for a second night so that you will be able to be well-rested both before and after your performances. Are there any questions before we leave?"

"Are you and Jack going to be the only chaperones?" Chris wondered.

"No. Rachel's dads, Holly's mother, and Melina's mother will be traveling with us as well. I'm sure there will be other parents there as well, but those four are the other official chaperones for this trip. If there are no further questions, the bus should be here now, so make sure you have everything you need and then let's get going."

* * *

"I'm still surprised they didn't squish us four to a room like most school trips do," Tasha commented as she and Melina settled into their rom.

"Me, too, but I'm certainly not complaining."

"I'm not, either. What time are we supposed to meet Shelby and Jack for rehearsal again?"

"Um, three, I think. Then we'll be coming back here to get ready for dinner at six."

"I'll text Rachel to be sure."

"Good idea," Melina agreed. "So, what's the deal with you and Aiden?"

"There is no  _deal_  with Aiden and me," Tasha immediately replied.

"You like him, don't you?"

"You know, maybe I was wrong about liking you dating my brother. You've got love on the brain, plus you've been hanging around Rachel a lot lately…and we all know how she feels about matchmaking."

"I'm not trying to play matchmaker, and neither is Rachel," Melina assured her friend. "I was just curious. I think it's cute that he calls you Natasha."

"It's my name, what's so cute about it?"

"Everyone else calls you Tasha, but he refuses to. There has to be a reason."

"Yeah, he's stubborn and he likes to push my buttons."

"What's wrong with your full name, anyway? I think it's pretty."

"There's nothing wrong with it, I just prefer Tasha."

Before either girl could say anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of Melina's phone ringing.

"It's my mom, I should take this, but this discussion isn't over."

"There's nothing more to discuss," Tasha argued as Melina answered her phone, earning her an annoyed look in return.

* * *

"Is everyone settled?" Jack asked as he saw his fiancée walk back into their hotel room.

"Getting there," Shelby answered. "I think they're just relieved to be off the bus. A lot of phone calls to parents being made."

"Are you expecting a lot of parents either later tonight or tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest. The number varies every year, but most try their best to make it. Almost all buy the DVD recording as well."

"I saw Rachel looking at old Vocal Adrenaline performances last week. How many of those do you have?"

"All of them since I became coach, and a couple from the previous years. Rachel was asking about a performance Jesse had been telling her about, but he couldn't find his copy of the DVD so I brought mine home. I would assume she was also taking notes on things she thinks we could use in the future."

Jack chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"I wouldn't doubt it."

"I guess we'll find out for sure when we start rehearsing for Nationals."

"Even though I fully expect Vocal Adrenaline to win tomorrow, I'm looking forward to seeing the other teams. If nothing else, the talent level is higher here than at Sectionals, which is to be expected."

"We've faced both of these teams before, but with any team, there's new members each year, which can make things either better or worse. Vocal Adrenaline has been very lucky that all of our new members have improved things."

"I think you have some future choreographers on your hands, too. Melina and Holly both seemed to be really into it."

"They did," Shelby agreed with a smile. "It's done a lot for the self confidence of both girls, I think."

"I think so, too. I was a little surprised the rest of the team took to it as well as they did, though."

"I made it very clear from the beginning that we are a team and I expect each and every one of them to maintain a team-player attitude. Some took longer than others to adjust to having their teammates choreographing a competition number instead of either you or me, but I think it turned out well."

"I agree," Jack said before changing the subject. "Now, what can you tell me about these other teams?"

* * *

Taking a seat between Holly and Jesse in the auditorium where Regionals was being held, Rachel gripped both of their hands as they waited for the first team to take the stage.

"Are you nervous?" Holly tried to tease, only earning an annoyed look from her cousin return and a shake of the head from Jesse.

"Rachel," Shelby said from her seat behind her daughter. Once she had her daughter's attention, she spoke again. "Please try to calm down. We have the best set-list and the best singers. We will win."

"I know, but this is the furthest any team of mine has gotten. I can't help that I want it to go well, and I'm scared that it won't."

"These people may be better than the lackluster teams we faced at Sectionals, but I can assure you that they aren't better than us," Jesse added.

"They couldn't possibly be," Holly put in. "They don't have the two of you."

Rachel beamed at her cousin before hugging her tightly.

"Thanks," she said softly as they both leaned back in their seats.

"Right back at you, cousin," Holly responded, knowing her cousin would understand what she was referring to.

* * *

Watching Aural Intensity's first performance, Rachel could already tell they had gone the suck up to the judges route. They had a lot of potential, but had been led down the wrong path by someone, most likely their coach who didn't know how to play to the team's strengths like her Mom and Jack did.

**You raise me up**

_You have to believe we are magic_  
Nothing can stand in our way  
You have to believe we are magic  
Don't let your aim ever stray

**You raise me up**

"Someone must have tipped them off about the judges," Puck commented to his girlfriend as they watched the performance.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Santana replied sarcastically, eliciting a snicker of amusement from her boyfriend.

* * *

As The Warblers began the first song of their set-list, Rachel let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. While this team was an improvement on the last one, they weren't good enough to beat Vocal Adrenaline. She was impressed by their acapella singing, but their song choices could use a lot of improvement.

**Your lipstick stains**  
On the front lobe of my left side brains  
I knew I wouldn't forget you  
And so I went and let you  
Blow my mind (Blow my mind)

"Blech, overrated song," Holly whispered to her boyfriend.

"Agreed," Dominic responded. "Their dancing needs improvement, too."

"We'll just have to show them how it's done, then."

Dominic smiled as he nodded in agreement, squeezing Holly's hand before turning his attention back to the rest of the performance.

* * *

"Ready?" Rachel asked her best friend with a smile as Vocal Adrenaline prepared to take the stage. As usual, they were the last to go on.

"I'm excited, actually," Kurt answered, returning her smile. "I was surprised Shelby is letting me lead off the song, let alone our set list."

"You're the perfect person for the job, plus it'll throw off our competition, who are likely expecting either Jesse or me to do it."

"This is true. Let's kick some show choir butt."

Before Rachel or Kurt could say anything else, they saw the cue that indicated it was time for Vocal Adrenaline to take the stage. Taking a deep breath, Kurt sang the beginning of the song before the rest of the team joined in.

_Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh_  
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh  
Caught in a bad romance

_Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah_  
Ro-ma-Ro-ma-ma  
Gaga-ooh-la-la  
Want your bad romance

* * *

As Vocal Adrenaline transitioned into their second song, Rachel and Jesse took center stage before beginning their duet, backed by the rest of the team.

_**(Turn around)**_  
 **Every now and then  
I get a little bit lonely  
And you're never coming round**  
 _ **(Turn around)**_  
 _Every now and then_  
I get a little bit tired  
Of listening to the sound of my tears

* * *

Taking his place near a piano that had been rolled onto the stage earlier, Jesse waited for the team to sing the opening notes before joining them and then beginning his solo.

__**Is this the real life?**  
Is this just fantasy?  
Caught in a landslide,  
No escape from reality.  _**Open your eyes,** _ __**Look up to the skies and see,**

**Because I'm easy come, easy go,  
Little high, little low,  
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter ** _ **to me**_ **, to me.**  
Mama, just killed a man,  
Put a gun against his head,  
Pulled my trigger, now he's dead.  
Mama, life had just begun,  
But now I've gone and thrown it all away.

* * *

"Damn."

Hiram couldn't help but chuckle as he heard Marina's reaction. He'd almost said the same thing the first time he saw Vocal Adrenaline perform.

"I told you they were good," Alec reminded her with a laugh.

"Yeah, but that was beyond just good. If the judges don't declare them the winners, they're crazy."

"I'm kind of interested to see what they come up with for Nationals," Talia added from her seat next to her son.

"Whatever it is, it'll top this I'm sure," Leroy told her.

"How long until we find out who won?" Alec wondered.

"Half an hour or less," Hiram answered. "It took ten minutes last time."

* * *

Standing on stage awaiting the results, Rachel once again gripped the hands of both Jesse and Holly. Glancing at her mother, who stood on the other side of Jesse, she noticed that she seemed both confident and nervous at the same time. Before she could think about it anymore, the announcer began to reveal the results.

"The results of the 2010 Regionals Show Choir Competition are…in third place, from Westvale High School in Toledo, Aural Intensity."

Once Aural Intensity had received their third-place trophy, or the participation trophy as Jesse liked to call it, Vocal Adrenaline and The Warblers moved closer together as they awaited the announcements of second and first place.

"In second place is…from Dalton Academy in Westerville, The Warblers. This means that in first place, and the team advancing to Nationals, is Vocal Adrenaline, from Carmel High School in Akron!"

After the announcement that Vocal Adrenaline had won, Rachel turned to her boyfriend and hugged him tightly as Shelby and Jack accepted the first place trophy.

"We're going to Nationals!" Kurt exclaimed as he hugged his best friend. "Can you believe it?"

"Maybe if I pinch myself a few times," Rachel responded with a laugh and a grin. "You were great, by the way. I knew you would be."

"So you were you. Your duet with Jesse was even more fabulous than in rehearsal, so was Jesse's solo. I have no idea how we're going to top this, but I can't wait to find out…after a small break, of course."

"Come on," Rachel said as she looped her arm through Kurt's and began to walk "Let's find the rest of our ever-growing family so we can start celebrating."

* * *

"Well, what did you think?" Rachel asked her dads as she and Jesse approached them.

"Wonderful, as always," Leroy answered, moving to hug first his daughter, and then Jesse.

"I enjoyed all three songs, although your duet with Jesse was probably my favorite. I thought he did a wonderful job with that Queen song as well. It's not an easy song to sing," Hiram replied.

"I agree," Jacqueline added as she, Genevieve, and Joel joined the group. "You definitely commanded that stage."

"As he should," Genevieve told her grandmother as she moved to hug her brother.

"Are you staying tonight, too, or are you going home?" Jesse wondered.

"We're staying. I'm sure you'll be celebrating with your team tonight, as you should, but Grandma and I were thinking we could treat you to breakfast in the morning. What time does your bus leave?"

"Uh, noon, I think, unless that's changed," Jesse answered, glancing at his girlfriend for confirmation.

"That sounds right. I have the itinerary in our hotel room, but my Mom or Jack should be around here somewhere and we can ask them."

* * *

"You made it."

Alec turned around at the sound of his friend's voice.

"Of course, I did. I told Mel I'd be here," Alec responded. "Plus, as much as she'd deny it, I know Tasha wanted me here, too."

"She has no idea Marina is here, too, does she?" Holly wondered.

"No. It was a surprise, mostly because Mari wasn't sure if she'd be able to catch an earlier flight or not. We ended up getting to the airport within about ten minutes of each other."

"Where is your twin, anyway?"

"Surprising Tasha. I've been looking for Mel, but haven't seen her yet."

"She was talking to her dad last time I saw her. I'm sure she'll be out here soon."

"Where's your other half?"

"Talking to his parents. My mom is around here somewhere, or so I think."

"Mama was sitting by her in the auditorium, I have a feeling they're probably still sitting there talking."

"You know, that's probably accurate. I'll go check there, thanks."

"You're welcome," Alec told her as he hugged her, "and you were great today, too, by the way."

Holly smiled at him as she pulled back.

"Thanks. If I see Melina, I'll let her know you're here," she said before making her way back towards the auditorium.

* * *

After returning home the following afternoon, Rachel and Jesse promptly unpacked before meeting in the basement.

"What do you say to another duet?" Jesse asked as he looked through the songs in the karaoke machine.

"I'm always up for singing with you," Rachel responded as she approached the stage. "My only request is you pick something more upbeat and/or happy."

"As you wish."

Rachel laughed as she took her place on the stage, waiting for Jesse to make his song selection before he joined her. As the opening notes played, they shared a smile before Jesse began to sing.

**Do you hear me? I'm talking to you**  
Across the water across the deep blue ocean  
Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying

Taking her cue, Rachel sang the next few lines before Jesse joined her for the chorus.

_Boy, I hear you in my dreams_  
I feel your whisper across the sea  
I keep you with me in my heart  
You make it easier when life gets hard   
__**Lucky I'm in love with my best friend**  
Lucky to have been where I have been  
Lucky to be coming home again 

* * *

**Regionals Songs:**

Aural Intensity: Magic/You Raise Me Up

The Warblers: Hey, Soul Sister

Vocal Adrenaline: Bad Romance, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Bohemian Rhapsody


	58. Chapter 58

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee

* * *

"Hi, Daddy," Rachel greeted as she walked into the back room of her father's restaurant to find him sitting at his desk.

"Hi, sweetie," Hiram returned with a smile, standing to hug his daughter. "I thought you had plans with Jesse today?"

"We moved it to tomorrow-he's spending time with his sister and grandma today. We have the whole week to do things together. Besides, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Hiram wondered.

He could tell from her tone and body language that she was nervous about asking, but that it wasn't anything bad. At least he didn't think it was.

"You remember Melina's boyfriend, Alec, right?"

"Yes…"

"I'm not sure if Jack has mentioned it yet or not, but he's moving in with Jesse, Dominic, and Melina at the end of the summer because his current roommate, his best friend, Aiden, is moving."

"He mentioned having four people in the apartment instead of three, but didn't really say why. I get the feeling what you wanted to ask me has to do with Aiden, and not Alec, am I correct?"

"You are," Rachel confirmed. "Aiden wants to open his own restaurant. He's been taking business classes at NYU and working at a local restaurant. He has an internship in Chicago lined up, but he'd have to work on top of that and so he likely wouldn't have time for school, and I can tell he doesn't really want to do that."

"Where do I fit into all of this, sweetie?"

"I was talking with Melina, and we were both thinking that you would be the best person to help Aiden. You have years of experience assisting other business owners, and your own restaurant has become successful in just a few months. Aiden wants to do what you do. Maybe he could even help you expand."

Hiram chuckled as he hugged his daughter again.

"I think expansion is a little while off, sweetie, but I appreciate the fact that you think I could do that. As for Aiden, I'd like to speak with him, possibly meet him, before I make a decision."

"But you're open to the idea?" Rachel asked.

Hiram smiled as he nodded.

"Who am I to turn away someone who wants to learn? Besides, if I hire him or give him an internship here, maybe he'll be able to go back to school like it seems he wants to."

"He does as far as I know. I have his number if you want to call him."

Hiram reached across his desk for a notepad and a pen, and then handed them to his daughter.

"Write down his number and I'll give him a call tomorrow."

Rachel smiled as she wrote down the number Melina had given her. Once she handed it back to her father, Hiram spoke again.

"Have you eaten today?"

"Jesse and I went to  _Cravings_  for breakfast, but I haven't had lunch yet. I was hoping you and I could have lunch together…if you're not too busy," Rachel responded hopefully.

"I think that can be arranged. It's going to have to be here, though."

"I think I can handle that."

After setting the notepad back on his desk, Hiram moved to hug his daughter before leading her to the small seating area near the kitchen.

* * *

"I think I found our wedding location."

Looking up from the sheet music she'd been looking at, Shelby eyed her fiancé curiously.

"Where's that?" she wondered.

With a small smile, Jack set down a picture in front of his fiancée. After studying the picture for a moment, Shelby looked back up at him, confusion clearly written on her face.

"Okay, I'm confused."

"It's an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. Charlotte said one of her co-workers recently had a wedding here and she highly recommended it. We could make it a family thing like we want, and not sacrifice the family vacation I know you, Hiram, Leroy, and Rachel have taken every year. You know Rachel will love having Jesse and Holly along with her, too."

"I know. I just know that everyone won't be able to afford it."

"Charlotte also said that her co-worker also had a second reception, back home, after they got back from the wedding. They showed a video of the wedding so everyone who hadn't been able to attend could feel like they were there. They didn't have to feel like they were missing anything. Did you change your mind about a destination wedding?"

"No, it's just…I really want Emma there. She's been like a surrogate sister to me since the moment we met. I know she and Carl won't want to travel with the newborn baby, and I don't expect them to leave the baby with her parents or something."

"We could get married here, somewhere in town, and then go on a vacation with our family to this resort in Mexico. I really think you would like it, and it would be a nice getaway for everyone. You wouldn't have to give up your annual Berry-Corcoran family vacation, either."

"You're willing to sacrifice our honeymoon so we can have a family vacation?" Shelby asked incredulously.

"Not sacrifice…." Jack said as he searched for the word he wanted to use, "more like combine. We could fit some alone time in there, get our own suite. Maybe take a couple of days to ourselves before our family joins us. We'll figure it out."

"I'm sorry for making this so difficult."

"So there's a couple of more steps to planning this than we anticipated, like I said, we'll figure it out. It might require a few more of those lists you, Rachel, and Hiram are so fond of, but I think I can handle that."

Shelby laughed at Jack's teasing remark, smiling as she shook her head.

"You think you're so funny. I was hoping we could shift topic, though. I have an idea for Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals this week, since we only have a week before spring break."

Taking a seat next to Shelby, Jack listened attentively as she filled him in on her idea.

* * *

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about a certain internship offered by a certain restaurant owner, who also happens to be the parent of one of your good friends, would you?" Alec asked his girlfriend as he picked her up for their date the next day.

"I may have mentioned the idea to Rachel….and given her Aiden's number. It was up to Hiram to decide if he wanted to do it, and if he did, give it to Aiden. You told me yourself that he didn't seem enthusiastic about Chicago."

"Mel, I know you're just trying to help, but I wish you would have just left this alone."

"Is he mad?"

"I think insulted was the word he used."

Melina rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"That's ridiculous. I know he's your best friend, but really. Someone recommends you for a fabulous opportunity and you respond by getting mad and feelings insulted. Well, sorry for trying to do something nice for the person I considered one of my newest friends."

"Mel…" Alec tried.

"I'm not sorry for mentioning the idea for Rachel. I could tell by the way he talked about opening his own restaurant that he was passionate about it. Hiram used to help businesses get themselves off the ground or revive themselves if they were having a hard time. He knows what it takes to make a successful business. That's part of the reason his restaurant is as successful as it is. I just thought Aiden might want a chance to learn from someone like him, while being able to be paid for it and not have to work at another job or live with someone he doesn't know, maybe doesn't even like, just to make ends meet."

"Mel, stop. Breathe."

When Melina did as he asked, Alec spoke again.

"If I knew Rachel or Hiram better, I probably would have done the same thing. I even told Aiden he was being stupid for feeling insulted. I just knew he'd react this way, which is why I wish you would have left it alone."

"I want him to accomplish his dreams, too. I didn't think that was so bad."

"It's not," Alec assured her. "Aiden is just being stubborn. Marina yelled at him in Russian. It was kind of funny."

"Does he speak Russian?" Melina wondered as she and Alec took their seats in his car.

"Not really, but he knows better than to argue with my twin sister. When she's decided that a certain outcome is best for someone, she'll go into what Tasha and Tatiana call her bossy mode in order to push them towards said outcome."

"I take it she's done that to you before."

Alec laughed as he nodded.

"Oh yeah, lots of times. Most recently when we were all in New York right before Christmas."

As Alec pulled out onto the road, Melina thought about what situation he could be referring to.

"The night we all went ice skating," she decided. "You two were the last to arrive and Tasha seemed surprised to see you."

"Correct. She pretty much dragged me out of my apartment. I wasn't exactly thrilled with her at the time, but now…I'm glad she did."

Melina shared a smile with her boyfriend before she spoke again.

"Me, too. I kind of would have liked to be a fly on the wall during her conversation with Aiden, though."

"I was there. I'll tell you about it at dinner."

"Deal."

* * *

"Mom?" Holly asked as she walked into the living room. "Do you have a minute?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Sara responded, patting the seat on the couch next to her. "What's going on?"

"Dominic's mom invited me to go along with her and Dominic to France this summer."

"Honey, I know you want to go there, but we can't afford to send you. I can't ask Dominic's mom to pay for your expenses, either. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Holly said as she made a move to stand, but was stopped by her mother.

"If I had the money to send you there, I would. I know how much you want to go. Well, go back."

"Go back?"

"You were two. Your dad thought it would be a good idea for a vacation, and it was nice, but I was so lost. I understood bits and pieces of conversation, but that's it. Obviously your dad was fine, but all the French I'd taken was back in high school, what seemed like ages ago. Obviously you couldn't understand it, either, but you were interested. That was when your dad really began to speak more French with you and insisted we teach it to you starting at a young age."

"Do we have pictures?"

"Of course," Sara responded. "Come on, I'll show you."

* * *

Sitting alone in his apartment, Aiden was studying for a test later in the week when he heard his phone ring. Glancing at the caller ID, he smiled a little when he noticed who was calling him.

"Good Afternoon, Natasha," he answered.

He heard the sigh before he heard her annoyed tone.

"Don't you 'Good Afternoon, Natasha' me, Aiden."

"Is it not a good afternoon and is your name not Natasha?"

"Don't get smart with me."

"Sorry," Aiden apologized, trying his best to hide the smile in his voice. "How can I help you, Miss McKenzie?"

Another sigh.

"If you refuse to use my nickname, I think I prefer Natasha."

"Okay. Natasha. What can I help you with?"

"You need to apologize to Melina."

"Already done."

"Oh."

"Your older sister beat you to the punch. She must have been near Alec when we were talking because she called me like two minutes later and yelled at me."

"Alec and Marina went out to brunch, so that's possible. I'm glad she yelled at you. You deserved it."

"Am I not allowed to have feelings about something that directly affects me?"

"I never said that, and I know Marina didn't. Melina was just trying to help. Hiram can teach you so much, and you won't have to worry about outrageous living costs, even if you don't want to live at home. She stuck her neck out for you and she's only met you once."

"I know, and I thanked her for that. I sent my résumé to Hiram a little while ago. He said he wanted to look it over and then we'd discuss things from there."

"Good."

"I'd love to chat some more, but I have a test to study for. Bye, Natasha."

"Bye."

* * *

"Are you busy?"

Looking up to find her younger brother standing in the doorway, Holly tilted her head to the side as she attempted to determine what he wanted.

"Not really. What's up?" she asked a few moments later.

"I need your help. I have my Earth Science mid-term on Monday. Mom said I can't take my permit test unless I get a good grade on it. I tried covering up the answers on the study guide, but that didn't really work."

"Yeah, that never worked well for me, either," Holly told him. "Here, give me the study guide and I'll quiz you. I can't say I'll be any help with remembering this stuff, but I can try."

"Okay," Liam agreed, handing the stapled sheets of paper to his sister.

Looking over the sheets of paper, Holly did her best to come up with what she thought could be potential test questions. She also kind of wondered what their parents would think of them not purposely bickering or picking on each other. It wasn't that she disliked her brother, quite the opposite in fact, but she was his older sister…it was her job to pick on him, and as her younger brother, it was his job to annoy her in return.

* * *

The following Monday at rehearsal, the members of Vocal Adrenaline sat still in their auditorium seats as they waited for their coaches to begin speaking.

"First of all, Jack and I would like to remind you that although we are very proud of your first-place finish at Regionals, we still have another major competition this year. Even though we are the reigning Nationals champions, it doesn't guarantee us a win. Just as Regionals saw a jump in talent, so will Nationals. That being said, we also think that you all deserve some kind of reward for all of your hard work, especially considering all of the drama that has happened this season."

"Does this mean we don't have to rehearse this week?" Holly jokingly wondered.

"Yes and no. We'll rehearse, but I want to make sure you all know the vocals before we begin any choreography. Since it worked well for Regionals, I'm willing to give students the opportunity to help choreograph these numbers as well. Jack and I get the final say, but we're open to suggestions."

"Rachel, Jesse, would you like to start?" Jack asked, gesturing towards the stage.

After exchanging a look, both Jesse and Rachel nodded as they stood. Once they had reached the stage, they nodded to each other before Jesse took the small remote Shelby had placed on the piano and pressed play. Once the introductory notes had played, Rachel stepped forward and began to sing.

_They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway_  
They say there's always magic in the air  
But when you're walkin' down that street  
And you ain't had enough to eat  
The glitter rubs right off and you're nowhere

Sending a playful wink to Rachel, Jesse sang the next few lines.

**They say the women treat you fine on Broadway**  
But looking at them just gives me the blues  
'Cause how ya gonna make some time  
When all you got is one thin dime  
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes

* * *

As they walked out of rehearsal, Holly saw Melina smile as she read a text.

"From Alec?" she wondered as she looped her arm through the older girl's.

"No. From Aiden, actually. He just said 'thank you', which I think means Hiram offered him the internship and he accepted it."

"What internship?"

"I asked Rachel to ask her Daddy if he would be willing to take on a paid intern, because I thought he would be the best person for Aiden to learn from. Aiden wants to open his own restaurant someday."

"Oh, I know that part, he's been talking about it since we were kids. He's actually a really good cook; you should get him to cook for you when you go to New York next week."

"He  _does_ owe me now," Melina agreed with a smile.

"Exactly. Anyway, I agree that my Uncle Hiram is the best person for him to learn from. We were all surprised when he decided on pursuing a business degree from NYU instead of going to culinary school."

"Alec said Aiden thought he'd be more successful if he actually knew how to run a business on top of being able to cook."

"He has a point, and as my mother likes to remind me, having a back-up is always good," Holly agreed.

"Mine, too. Must be a parent thing."

"I really think it is," Holly agreed before changing the subject. "Where's Alec?"

"Working at the studio. I have homework anyway, so it's not like I'd be able to spend much time with him as it is."

"Ugh, don't remind me. I suppose I should find Dominic at some point, he's my ride home after all."

Melina laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"Probably. I'll keep you company until he finds you."

This time it was Holly's turn to laugh.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

"Since you picked our duet for today, does that mean I get to pick our duet for tomorrow?" Rachel wondered as she and Jesse finished their nightly routines.

"I'll agree to it on one condition," Jesse decided.

With a smile, Rachel leaned up to brush her lips with his.

"There. Condition met. I get to pick the song for tomorrow."

"For your Mom's class or for rehearsal?"

"We're rehearsing Nationals songs tomorrow, so this duet will be in class. I signed us up for tomorrow, remember?"

"Of course. I was just making sure we were talking about the same duet."

"Uh-huh, sure. Whatever you say, Jess."

Jesse laughed as he slid his arms around her from behind, pulling her towards him as he bent his head to press a kiss to her cheek.

"I love you," he told her sweetly.

"I love you, too," Rachel replied, turning her head to steal another kiss from him before taking one of his hands and leading him into her room.

Once they had both gotten settled, Rachel spoke again.

"Do you think we'll win Nationals?" she wondered.

"I really do," Jesse responded. "The competition is going to be better, but we're the odds-on favorite to win. We can do this, Rach. I'll be right by your side. Shelby will make sure we're ready. She wouldn't let us set foot on a competition stage if we weren't."

"I know, but you've been through this before. This is all so new to me. I'm nervous. I know my Mom wouldn't let us go there unprepared, but what if I do something to make us lose the title?"

"You won't. I'll tell you a secret. Before my first Nationals competition, I was a wreck. I was so nervous I was going to mess it all up."

"I thought you didn't get nervous?"

Jesse laughed as he shook his head.

"No. I said 'I remember when I used to get nervous'. I just didn't specify how long ago that was."

"Well, you still could have told me this earlier. I wouldn't have been so stressed out over it."

"You have absolutely  _nothing_  to worry about, Rach, I promise."

"What about next year, when you're not on that stage beside me anymore?"

"You'll have Blaine, who I know you love almost as much as you love me. I'll be at every competition to support you."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Do you swear on your favorite Queen CD?" Rachel teased.

Jesse laughed as he nodded.

"I swear on my favorite Queen CD," he responded.

"I guess that'll do for now. Especially since we should probably get some sleep."

"Agreed."

"'Night, Jess. I love you," Rachel whispered as she curled closer to her boyfriend.

"I love you, too. 'Night, Rach," Jesse responded, pressing another kiss to her cheek before laying his head near hears and closing his eyes. They were both asleep almost instantly, dreaming about all of the duets they'd sing.


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N:**  I don't really have anything to say, except I hope you enjoy, and please review!

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

"Hi, Dad," Rachel greeted as she walked into the living room the following Saturday morning.

"Hi, honey," Leroy replied with a smile. Noticing his daughter had something in her hand, he spoke again. "What do you have there?"

"I know you probably have work that you need to do, but I was hoping we could spend some time just the two of us. Maybe watch a movie or something."

Leroy marked his spot in the book he'd been reading before addressing his daughter again.

"I'd love that. What movie did you have in mind?"

"Man of La Mancha. I'm in the mood for a musical," Rachel replied with a smile.

"You always are," Leroy told her with a chuckle. "I'll get it started if you want to start the popcorn."

"Jesse's making it right now. He said he'd bring it in when it was finished. He wanted a distraction while he waits for Blaine to get here."

"Well, then make yourself comfortable and I'll get the movie started."

Rachel smiled and nodded, handing the movie to her father before doing as he requested.

"I see your charm worked, Rach," Jesse teased as he entered the room with a large bowl of popcorn in his hands.

"It always does," Leroy told him, making Rachel smile.

"What did you decide on?" Jesse asked his girlfriend as he handed her the bowl.

"Man of La Mancha. Dad's favorite musical…and Daddy's, actually. It's high on my list of favorites, too."

"A win-win situation, then. Blaine and I are going over to Gen's once he gets here, apparently she and Grandma have more things for us."

"I think she probably just wants to hear you and Blaine sing, and Gen play the piano."

"Most likely," Jesse agreed with a small laugh.

"How are things with your sister and grandmother, by the way?" Leroy wondered.

"A lot better," Jesse admitted. "They've both been great. I think not having the pressure of being forced to live with one another while we get to know each other again helped, too."

"Good. I'm happy to hear that."

Before any of the occupants of the room could say anything else, they heard the doorbell ring.

"That's probably Blaine," Jesse theorized.

"Do you mind if I go say hi before we start the movie?" Rachel asked her dad.

"Go ahead, honey," Leroy responded with a smile.

After pressing a quick kiss to her father's cheek, Rachel followed Jesse into the entryway.

* * *

"How's Blaine?" Leroy queried as he saw Rachel reappear in the living room a short while later.

"He's a lot like Jesse," Rachel responded as she took a seat next to her father.

Leroy chuckled before he spoke again.

"Well, they  _are_  related, honey," he reminded her.

"I know, but sometimes it still surprises me how similar they are. I'm happy they have each other, though."

"Me, too," Leroy agreed. "Are you ready for the movie?"

Rachel grabbed the bowl of popcorn off of the table before she nodded.

"I am now," she responded, causing Leroy to chuckle as he started the movie.

* * *

Walking into the basement, Sara smiled when she saw Holly dancing.

"Mom," Holly said when she noticed her mother, moving to pause her music.

"I heard the music, thought you might be dancing, figured you'd probably be thirsty," Sara responded, walking the rest of the way down the steps to hand her daughter a water bottle.

"I remembered water, but it's warm now, so thanks," Holly replied, smiling at her mother.

"You're welcome. Do you have plans with Dominic today?"

"No, he's spending the day with his family. They took Lina and Alec to the airport this morning, and then I think Liv said she had a family movie marathon planned."

"How would you feel about filling your day with some mother/daughter time?"

"I'd like to practice a little while longer, but maybe we could get lunch and then go shopping after that?"

"Sure," Sara replied with a smile. "I'm going to try to catch up some work, so just come and get me when you're ready."

"Okay. Do you want to see the dance? Aunt Shelby said we might use some of it for Nationals."

"I'd love to."

"I only have one condition."

"What's that?" Sara wondered.

"If it sucks, you have to be honest and tell me that it sucks."

"If your aunt is considering using any of it for Nationals, I highly doubt it, as you put it, sucks."

"She could just be humoring me."

"Doubtful."

"Still. I want your opinion."

"That I can do."

* * *

"Are you okay with me being here?" Melina asked Aiden as she took a seat across from him at the kitchen table.

"If I wasn't, I would have told Alec," Aiden responded. "It's fine, I promise. I'm just trying to figure out how to hold onto my job for the remainder of the semester."

"If you don't mind me asking, what's going on?"

"Long story short, my boss hates me. I'm pretty sure he has it out for me. He seems to find fault with everything I do. I haven't been getting a lot of praise from customers lately, either."

"Does he know you're leaving?"

"Yeah, I told him a couple of weeks ago. Didn't change things."

"I'm sorry. Have you heard anything from Hiram?"

"He offered me a job as a cook, with potential hours as a waiter if I want them and with potential for a promotion down the line if things go well. He wants to see how I work with everyone else before he decides on anything else. I don't blame him. Frankly, I'm happy to actually be given a chance."

"Well, regardless, I'm sure you'll learn a lot from Hiram. At the very least, he's sure to be a better boss than the one you have now."

"That's true."

"Are you going to go back to school in Akron?" Melina wondered.

"I've been looking at OSU," Aiden admitted. "I haven't decided anything. I plan on going there this summer and getting more information, getting a feel for the campus."

"Well, whatever you decide to do, I hope it makes you happy."

"Thanks," Aiden responded with a smile.

"Now, since Alec is out getting food, why don't you tell me about your relationship with a certain good friend of mine?"

Aiden sent his new friend a confused look before he spoke again.

"Who are we talking about, exactly?"

"Don't play stupid with me, Aiden. We both know who we're talking about."

Aiden chuckled as he held up his hands in surrender.

"I take it we're talking about Natasha."

"Who else? Why do you refuse to call her Tasha, anyway?"

"I don't like it, plus it irritates her."

"You like her, don't you?"

"I…don't know," Aiden answered. "She's my best friend's little sister. I feel like there's a line there that I can't cross without getting my ass kicked. I enjoy spending time with her, talking to her."

"I won't say anything to Alec," Melina promised, "but if you do decide to pursue anything romantic with Tasha, you have to be honest with him. He may not like it, but he'll learn to deal because you're his best friend and she's his sister."

"Are you going to be around to help him come around to that conclusion?"

"I plan to be."

"Good. I may require your assistance."

* * *

"There are my two handsome boys," Jacqueline said with a smile as she saw Jesse and Blaine walk into the living room.

"I think you've been spending too much time with Rachel's grandmother," Jesse teased as he hugged her.

"Hi, Grandma," Blaine said as he took his turn hugging Jacqueline.

"Where's Gen?" Jesse wondered.

"She had to take a phone call, something about a client and his wife who keep changing their minds."

"Ah, her favorite kind."

"Be nice, Jesse Jonathan. Your sister is under a lot of stress," Jacqueline responded.

"I'm always nice," Jesse retorted with a grin, causing Jacqueline to laugh and shake her head.

"You're also usually just waiting for the right moment to unleash a snarky comment or two," Blaine added.

"He wouldn't be the Jesse we know and love if he didn't say snarky things," Genevieve reminded her cousin as she joined the group.

"Since you're all here now, how about singing something for me?" Jacqueline suggested.

"Sure," Blaine agreed.

"I'll leave the singing to Jesse and Blaine, but I'll play piano," Genevieve responded.

"Did you have a certain song in mind?" Jesse asked his grandmother.

"Surprise me," Jacqueline replied.

"I have an idea," Jesse told his sister and cousin, looking through the various pieces of sheet music near the piano until he found the one he wanted.

"Looks good to me," Genevieve responded as she took the sheet music from her brother.

"Sure," Blaine agreed.

Once she had taken a seat at the piano, Genevieve began to play the opening notes, smiling when she heard first Jesse, then Blaine, begin to sing.

**Somewhere over the rainbow**  
Way up high,  
There's a land that I heard of  
Once in a lullaby.

_Somewhere over the rainbow_  
Skies are blue,  
And the dreams that you dare to dream  
Really do come true.

**Someday I'll wish upon a star**  
And wake up where the clouds are far  
Behind me.  
Where troubles melt like lemon drops  
Away above the chimney tops  
That's where you'll find me.

_Somewhere over the rainbow_  
Bluebirds fly.  
Birds fly over the rainbow.  
Why then, oh why can't I?

* * *

"Hi, Daddy," Rachel greeted as she saw Hiram walk into the kitchen, where she and Leroy were preparing dinner.

"Hi, sweetie," Hiram returned, pressing a kiss to the top of his daughter's head. "I didn't know you were cooking tonight."

"I didn't either, until she talked me into helping," Leroy told his husband.

"I think she's been taking charm lessons from Jesse," Hiram theorized with a grin for his daughter.

Rachel laughed as she shook her head.

"You've both just missed me so much that my charm is extra effective," she decided, returning her father's grin.

Leroy laughed as he wrapped his daughter and husband in a hug.

"We definitely missed you, that's true," he said.

Rachel beamed up at both of them, happy to have them to herself for a while. She loved Jesse, her Mom, and Jack, too, but she'd really missed her daddies.

"I missed you both, too," Rachel told them.

"Where are your Mom and Jack?" Hiram wondered.

"They went out for a while. They said they'd grab something to eat while they were out. I thought we'd make sure there's enough for leftovers just in case, though."

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"Dad and I have it under control. You could keep us company."

"That I can definitely do."

* * *

"Kurt?" Burt asked as he walked into his office, surprised to see his son sitting in his chair.

"You forgot your lunch, so I thought I'd bring it to you and then we could have lunch together. I know you said you were busy and couldn't really leave…" Kurt started.

"I'd love to have lunch with you, Kurt," Burt replied, opening his arms to his son.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Kurt revealed as he hugged his father tightly.

"I always like spending time with you."

"I know, but I also know you've been really busy lately."

"That's true, but I will always make time for you. No matter how busy it is here, if you need me, I'm there."

Kurt smiled and nodded as he divided up the food he'd brought. While it may not be his first choice of places to eat, he was happy to be able to spend time with his dad. Between the tire shop being busier, therefore requiring more of his dad's attention, and himself having either school or rehearsal, sometimes it was difficult to see each other.

"Where did you get the pasta?" Burt asked his son as he scooped some of it onto his plate.

" _Prime Thyme_. Hiram is trying out a take-out service. I thought I'd check it out, since I know his food is always delicious."

"His restaurant also provides food for parties and stuff, right?"

"Yes. They have a catering service. I have a menu if you want me to leave it with you."

"Do me a favor and pin it on the board over there. That way I don't lose it and it reminds me to call him."

"Are you having a party?"

"I was thinking of having a small staff party," Burt revealed. "Everyone has worked so hard to help me; I figure they deserve some kind of reward."

"I agree," Kurt told his father with a smile. "Can I help you plan it?"

"I was hoping you would, actually."

"Well consider your wish granted, then."

* * *

"Did you finish your routine already?" Jesse asked as he walked into Rachel's bedroom and noticed she was already wearing her pajamas.

"No, I just felt like lounging around in my pajamas for a while, since I don't get to do that very often."

"Did you pick out a musical for us to watch tonight?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"That I did. Did you have fun at your sister's?"

"Yes. I'll tell you all about it while we complete our routines," Jesse responded, holding out a hand for his girlfriend.

Rachel smiled as she took his hand, following him into the bathroom, eager to not only hear about his day, but fill him in on hers as well.

* * *

As she was working on some paperwork the next day, Sara looked up at the sound of a knock on her door. Instead of her husband, whom she had been expecting, or one of her co-workers, she saw a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties.

"Are you Sara Evans?" she asked.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Sara wondered.

"I was hoping you could help me find my birth mother."

"I'm not the person you need to talk to…"

"Sorry. I'm Brynn Montgomery."

"It's nice to meet you, but I'm still not sure how I can help you."

"Dr. Summer told me you could help me contact my birth mother."

"Do you have a picture or a name?" Sara wondered, still confused.

"Only a name," Brynn answered. "Shelby Corcoran."

* * *

**A/N 2:**  The version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that Jesse and Blaine sing is based off of the version by Ray Charles and Johnny Mathis.


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N:** I know this is a St. Berry story, and Rachel and Jesse will always be the main characters, but I feel the stories of their loved ones are important too. As I've said before, I don't have this story mapped out or finished, I write as I go, so sometimes things don't always go as I planned. I really do try to keep the focus on Rachel and Jesse, though.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and please review :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

"Just a name," Brynn replied. "Shelby Corcoran."

"That's…not possible," Sara said, unsure what to think.

"Well, unless DNA lies, I assure you that it is."

Sara motioned to a seat on the other side of her desk as she threw away all hope of getting any work done today.

"Have a seat," she said as she shut the door to her office.

"What made you say it's impossible for me to be Shelby's daughter?" Brynn wondered once Sara had taken her seat.

"Because Shelby has only ever had one child, who is not only currently alive, but also with her mother as we speak."

Brynn sighed in disappointment.

"I was so hopeful when Dr. Summer told me you would be able to help me find my birth mother. I just want to know why she gave me up, if she ever wanted me."

Sara sent the younger woman a sympathetic look before she spoke again.

"Maybe I can still help you. What other information do you have about her?"

"Not much, just some information my mom gave me," Brynn responded as she pulled out a file folder from her bag. "She's kind of mad at me for looking for my birth mother, like it's going to make me love her less or something."

"I don't think that's the case at all," Sara commented as she looked through the file. "You aren't wrong for being curious about your biological family. Unfortunately, your birth mother is not my younger sister."

"But her name is Shelby Corcoran, isn't it?"

"It is, but as I said, Shelby has only ever had one child. I do vaguely remember my parents mentioning something about a cousin of my dad's naming his daughter Shelby, and how they weren't happy about it because it could cause confusion down the line. I'm afraid I don't know much more than that, but I would suspect that  _that_  Shelby is the one you're looking for."

"I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad about that," Brynn replied.

"I understand," Sara told her as she handed her back the file. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you more."

"You wouldn't happen to know how to contact this other Shelby, would you?"

"I'm afraid not. Her dad and mine lost touch years ago."

"Oh."

"I don't know about Shelby, I only met her once when we were younger, but I think she went by her middle name, which  _is_  different than my sister's. She went by Morgan, if I remember correctly. I have no idea if she still does, or how much that helps you, though."

"I'll take any information I can get right now, thank you."

"Good luck," Sara said as she stood to shake hands with the younger woman.

"Thank you," Brynn responded before walking out the door.

* * *

Unaware of the case of mistaken identity across town, Shelby sat at her kitchen table with Rachel and Holly seated across from her as they looked through bridal magazines.

"You two still haven't chosen your bridesmaid dresses?" Jack teased as he took a seat next to Shelby.

"You two still haven't chosen a wedding date, so you're one to talk," Holly retorted as she continued to look through the magazine in front of her.

"Holly," Shelby began to reprimand, only stopping when she heard Jack begin to laugh.

"Touché," he told her with a laugh.

"How about a cruise?" Rachel suggested, looking up from her magazine. "You could get married here, so Ms. Pillsbury-Howell could be there and wouldn't have to travel very far, and then we could have our family vacation by going on the cruise. There are lots of things to do, and you and Jack could get your own cabin or something."

"Sounds good to me," Jack replied.

"You don't even know the prices yet," Shelby reminded her fiancé.

"You forget my sister is a travel agent. She knows how to find the best deals. Just trust me. She'll love the project."

Shelby sighed, well aware that resistance was futile.

"Okay. See what kind of magic she can work."

"I'll go call her now," Jack said, pressing a kiss to Shelby's cheek before standing up and walking out of the room.

"You can cross vacation location off your list, cousin," Holly added.

"Not really, nothing's been decided," Rachel replied.

"Cross it off in pencil, then. I'm sure Jack will figure it out, though."

As the two cousins debated whether or not to cross the location of the family vacation off of Rachel's list, Shelby continued looking through the magazine, determined to find something both girls would like.

* * *

"We're going on a cruise!" Rachel said excitedly as she practically ran into her boyfriend's room.

Looking up from the book he'd been reading, Jesse couldn't help but grin as Rachel entered the room. He'd always found her excitement infectious, he probably always would.

"What's this about a cruise?" he asked, pulling her into his arms once he'd set his book aside.

"My Mom and Jack decided to get married here in Ohio, then for our vacation/their honeymoon, we're going on a cruise. Apparently Jack's sister is a travel agent and she knows how to find deals. It's not official yet, my Mom wants to know the prices first, but I'm pretty sure that's what we'll end up doing."

"Sounds like fun."

"Not just  _fun_ , Jess.  _Amazing_. We may have to go on one for our honeymoon, too."

"Who says we're going to get married?" Jesse teased.

"We already agreed to. We're soul mates. It's, as you like to say, an inevitability," Rachel responded.

"That's true. I guess I can't really argue with my own logic."

"Well, you could, but I wouldn't suggest it."

Jesse laughed again as he pulled Rachel closer.

"Where's your partner in crime?" he wondered.

"You mean Holly?" Rachel wondered. At Jesse's nod, she continued. "Dominic picked her up a little while ago. Apparently he promised her dinner and a movie of her choice."

"Did you two finally agree on a bridesmaid dress?"

"We've narrowed our choices down. It's better than not agreeing on anything. I'm kind of surprised my Mom didn't just pick something."

"Have you consulted Kurt yet?" Jesse wondered.

"No, but Holly does agree that we should. He'd know what would look best on both of us. He  _is_ our fashion guru, after all."

"True. No matter what you choose, I'm sure you'll look beautiful."

"You're biased."

"I thought you were beautiful even before I fell in love with you."

"You did?" Rachel asked in disbelief.

"I did," Jesse confirmed. "You are beautiful inside and out. Anyone who says otherwise is just wrong."

"Because you're always right?"

"Exactly."

Rachel laughed as she hugged her boyfriend tightly.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you, too," he responded. "Now, what should we do tonight?"

"I kind of liked the idea of dinner and a movie, actually."

"Dinner and a movie it is, then."

"Really?"

"Really. I told you this morning that I'd let you decide on our plans for tonight. If you want to go to dinner and a movie, then that's what we'll do."

"You're the best!" Rachel exclaimed, pressing a quick kiss to Jesse's lips. "I need to get ready. You can go back to your Queen biography."

"It wasn't Queen, actually," Jesse corrected.

"That's right; you read that one over the holiday break. It must be Sondheim then, it was next on your list."

Jesse chuckled as he nodded.

"You are correct."

"Must be from being around you so much."

Jesse laughed before bending his head to kiss Rachel.

"I guess you'll just have to keep me around, then."

"I guess so."

* * *

As she was about to walk out of her room, Rachel heard her phone ring. Glancing at the readout on the screen, she saw it was Holly calling.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a date?" she asked as she answered the phone.

"I am, but Dominic said I could call you if I promised to drop the subject I wanted to call you about for the rest of the night," Holly responded.

Rachel laughed before asking her next question.

"What subject is that?"

"Our dresses. Kurt can help us figure out the style, but I think we should go with the color red. I think it will complement both of us the best."

"Kurt will want the final say, you know."

"I know, and we'll have to decide on the exact shade, which I'm more than happy to take Kurt's advice on, but I think we need to stick to red."

"I agree. We can always outvote him if we need to."

This time it was Holly's turn to laugh.

"I like the way you think, cousin."

"Call me tomorrow. Have fun with Dominic."

"I will…to both. 'Night, cousin."

* * *

"You seem amused," Jesse commented as he saw Rachel walk back into his room.

"I am," Rachel answered. "Holly called. Apparently she has decided on the color for our bridesmaid dresses."

"Isn't Holly on a date with Dominic?"

"She is. From what she said, it sounds like Dominic could tell she wanted to share her brilliant idea with me, so he told her to call me."

"How did Holly put it?"

"She told me Dominic said she could call me if she'd drop the subject she wanted to call me about for the rest of the night."

"Sounds like Holly. I guess she wouldn't be the Holly we know and love if she didn't go a little overboard sometimes."

"That's true. I have to call Kurt tomorrow and figure out when we can get together to make the final choice, which of course my Mom has to approve. For now, though, I'm ready for our date."

With a smile, Jesse stood and walked over to Rachel, taking her hand and lacing their fingers together.

"So, have you decided where you'd like to go to eat?" he asked as he began to lead her out of the room.

"Melina and Alec have been raving about that Greek restaurant near the studio his parents own. It's not terribly far from the theater, and I want to try something new."

"Sounds good to me. Did you bring your list of dishes to consider?"

"Of course," Rachel responded with a laugh as she and Jesse put on their coats and then made their way out to his car.

* * *

"You're up late, don't you think?"

Looking up from her laptop screen, Melina saw Aiden take a seat across the table from her.

"I have a paper due the day after I get back to school. I couldn't sleep, I kept thinking about it. I was keeping Alec awake by tossing and turning, so I came out here to write it."

"Yeah, I told him he was crazy for taking early classes…but he's always been an early bird."

Melina smiled as she nodded in agreement.

"I noticed. I look past it."

Aiden laughed as he stood and walked into the kitchen.

"Me, too. He's been my best friend since we were kids, and he's a great roommate."

"I'll pass the recommendation on to Dominic and Jesse, thanks."

"Are you hungry? I was going to make a pizza."

"I suppose a re-fueling would be helpful, thank you."

"Have you two spent much time together since you've been here?"

Melina shrugged a little, closing her eyes as she did so.

"Not really, but that's okay. I understand he's busy with school and everything."

"You came out here to spend time with him. He doesn't need to keep the same crazy schedule as he usually does. I'll talk to him."

"You don't need to do that."

"You're my friend, Melina. You make my best friend happy. You two deserve to spend time together while you're here. Do some stupid tourist stuff."

"I did some of that the last time I was here."

"There's always more to see. Besides, now you and Alec are together, not dancing around each other like a couple of idiots. You should be able to do some stupid tourist stuff together."

"Why do you call it that?" Melina asked with a laugh.

Aiden shrugged before he answered.

"I'm not really sure. I just started calling it that one day, probably because the majority of the customers in the restaurant talk about the same things over and over again. It gets a little annoying and tedious after a while."

"Makes sense."

* * *

Walking into the living room the next morning, Melina was surprised to find Alec sitting on the couch waiting for her.

"Don't you have class?" she asked as she took a seat next to him.

"Class was cancelled," Alec responded.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"We've hardly spent any time together while you've been here…and you have to go home in a few days."

"College is a lot busier than high school, I understand that. I've been trying to keep myself occupied so that it doesn't look like I expect you to entertain me while I'm here, plus I have this annoying thing called homework to do."

"Aiden left me a note; he said we should go do some stupid tourist stuff today."

"He really wrote 'stupid tourist stuff', didn't he?"

Picking the note up off of the coffee table, Alec handed it to his girlfriend to read.

"Well, I guess he wouldn't be Aiden if he acted any differently," Melina commented.

"True. So, I was thinking we could get something to eat and then…the rest is up to you, whatever you want to do."

"Sure. I'll just go shower and then we can go."

"Okay."

Leaning over, Melina brushed her lips with Alec's before standing up and walking into the bathroom.

* * *

"Hi, Mom," Rachel greeted as she walked into the music room the next day.

"Hi, baby," Shelby returned, standing to hug her daughter.

"Holly and I decided on a color for our dresses…well, the color we'd like to wear that is."

"What color is that?"

"Red. We kind of have the same complexion, although Holly's eyes are a lighter color than mine, but we agreed it would work for both of us."

Shelby was silent for a minute as she thought about what her daughter had said.

"I like it," she decided. "Do you know if Holly and Kurt have plans today?"

"I can call them and ask, but I don't remember either of them saying anything about it. Why?"

"Well, I was thinking we could head over to the bridal shop today."

Rachel let out a squeal of delight as she hugged her mother again.

"I'll go call Holly and Kurt. I'll be back," she said before dashing out of the room.

* * *

"Where's the fire?" Jesse joked, catching Rachel around the waist as she rushed past him.

"No fire. Just Shopping," Rachel responded before wrapping her arms around Jesse's neck and giving him a quick kiss.

"You're going shopping?"

"Bridesmaid dress shopping!"

"I suppose I could be persuaded to reschedule our musical movie marathon."

"Oh my God, Jesse, I'm sorry, I forgot…" Rachel reluctantly admitted.

Jesse chuckled as he bent his head to brush his lips with hers.

"Go have fun bridesmaid dress shopping. We'll just move our marathon back a few hours. Gives me some more time to get things ready, anyway."

"You're the best."

"I know."

Rachel laughed as she hugged him again.

"I love you," she told him with a smile.

"I love you, too," Jesse responded, returning her smile.

After kissing Jesse one more time, Rachel continued down the stairs to find her mother.

* * *

Walking down the stairs of her own home, Holly smiled when she heard her mother's voice.

"Where are you off to?" Sara asked as she walked into the entryway.

"Bridesmaid dress shopping with Rachel, Kurt, and Aunt Shelby," Holly answered. "I wish you could come with."

"Actually, I took the rest of the week off. I have some things around the house I need to get done, and I still have some work to do, but it can wait a little while if you want me to go with you."

"I'd like that."

"I'll go get my coat."

Holly smiled and nodded, taking her phone out to text Dominic back while she waited for her mother.

* * *

As she walked into the bridal shop with her daughter, Sara was only slightly surprised to see her own mother there.

"Hi, Mom," Sara greeted with a smile, moving to hug her.

"Hello, darlings," Tabitha responded, hugging first Sara and then Holly.

"Where are Rachel and Kurt?" Holly asked as she moved to hug her aunt.

"They found the red dresses," Shelby responded, pointing to a spot across the store where the two teenagers in question were currently standing.

"Did you pick out  _your_  dress yet, Shelby?" Sara asked once Holly had left the group.

"Not exactly. I have a few ideas. Today we're picking out bridesmaid dresses for Holly and Rachel, though."

"That doesn't mean you can't look," Tabitha told her older daughter.

"We'll see how long it takes the kids to pick out dresses."

"Shelby, this is  _your_  wedding," Sara reminded her sister. "You should be picking out your wedding dress before the bridesmaid dresses."

"I  _have_  been looking; I just haven't found anything I could see myself wearing yet. It's not a crime to do things out of the so-called normal order. Besides, when have Jack and I done anything the normal way?"

"That's true."

"I'm not the only one who needs a dress," Shelby reminded her sister. "You're my matron of honor. I'm kind of surprised you gave Holly and Rachel control over the color, to be honest."

"Holly seemed so enthusiastic about it all, plus I knew she wouldn't pick a color that would look horrible on me. We may have our arguments, but she doesn't hate me. Not yet, anyway."

Shelby sent her sister a confused look.

"What do you mean 'not yet, anyway'?" she asked.

"She's got plenty of years left to hate me. She's only seventeen."

"Don't be stupid. Holly may get mad at you sometimes, but she'd never hate you. She knows that you love her."

Before either woman could say anything else, they heard the simultaneous "mom" from nearby. While they had been talking, their mother had joined the kids, who were now holding up various ideas for dresses.

"I guess that's our cue," Sara joked as she and Shelby began to make their way over to their daughters.

* * *

Walking into the music room, Jack was only slightly surprised to see Jesse was already there.

"I take it you're having one of those days where you don't really know what you want to sing, but you know everything you've looked at so far isn't what you had in mind," he commented as he walked over to the younger man.

Jesse chuckled a little as he nodded.

"Pretty much. Usually Rachel will just start asking me questions and she somehow manages to figure it out…but she's obviously not here right now."

"Girls' day out. I heard about it about five minutes before Shelby and Rachel left."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did you love Shelby all of the years you were apart?"

"Yes. I tried to deny it for most of those years, but I never stopped loving her. I shouldn't have left in the first place. I still beat myself up for it to this day."

"If you hadn't left, Rachel might not exist."

"I think about that, too," Jack told him. "Shelby and I have talked about the various what ifs in our lives extensively. While we do wish that we could have reunited sooner, there are things that we've experienced, people we've met, or in Shelby's case, a child that she had, that we wouldn't give up for anything. I adore Rachel, she's like the daughter I never had. I consider her my daughter, and you my son…or son-in-law, I guess, since you two will be getting married yourselves in a few years."

"Shelby is the closest thing to a mother I've had for a long time."

"I know. Shelby told me everything before I moved in, plus I know your sister, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Are you happy to have your sister and grandmother here?" Jack wondered.

"I wasn't thrilled about Gen being here at first, but now…I'm glad she's back. I'm happy she and my grandma are here. It's been nice to have the extra support."

"Takes some getting used to, right?"

Jesse nodded in agreement before he spoke again.

"It does. Having them tell me they're proud of me means a lot."

"I have no doubt that it does," Jack told him with a smile before changing the subject. "So, how is your solo for Nationals going?"

"I've been practicing. I was going to ask Shelby to give me her opinion on it, but obviously she's not here right now, so I can't do that."

"How about the opinion of the assistant coach?"

"I suppose that could work," Jesse joked, making Jack laugh as they walked out of the room and headed downstairs.


	61. Chapter 61

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

"I think they've hit the jackpot," Sara commented to her sister as they joined the small group that had formed by the red bridesmaid dresses.

"I think I found one everyone will like," Kurt declared.

"Which one is that?" Shelby asked.

In response to her mother's question, Rachel held up the dress they had decided on. It was a knee-length, halter-topped dress in a dark red color.

"I like it. What do you think, Sara?"

"It is very pretty. I suppose we could try it and see if it works," Sara answered.

"You and the girls go try on your dresses. Shelby, Kurt, and I will wait here," Tabitha told her older daughter.

"Come on, Mom," Holly said to her mother. "You heard Grandma."

Sara smiled and nodded before following her daughter and niece into the dressing room area.

"Where's Dad today?" Shelby asked her mother as they walked over to the wedding dresses.

"He's with Liam and Nick. Apparently he and Liam are having a Wii Golf re-match."

"I'm sure they're having fun, plus it makes Sara worry less."

"So tell me more about Kurt," Tabitha requested, watching her granddaughters' friend peruse the shoe section.

"He and Rachel have known each other for years, they're best friends. He and Holly became fast friends, too. They went to school together back in Lima. His dad runs a tire shop-the Akron branch just opened a few months ago. He loves fashion and music. I think he'll ultimately end up pursuing fashion, but might end up working behind the scenes of a Broadway show in order to combine his two loves."

"He seems like a nice boy. I'm sure I'll get to know him more eventually."

"You will," Shelby assured her mother.

Before she could say anything else, she saw her sister, daughter, and niece walk out of the dressing rooms.

* * *

"What do you think, Mom?" Rachel asked as she saw her mother and grandmother approach.

"I like them," Shelby responded. "How do you feel in it?"

"They're comfortable, actually…well, as comfortable as a formal dress can be," Holly informed her aunt.

"Sara?" Shelby asked.

"I agree with Holly," Sara responded. "Now I know why the girls always say Kurt is a genius."

"Then it's settled. These are the bridesmaid dresses," Tabitha declared.

* * *

"I need to talk to you," Sara whispered to her sister as they watched their daughters and Kurt look through the shoe section.

"What's going on?" Shelby asked.

"There was a girl who came into my office the other day claiming that you gave her up for adoption when she was a baby."

"That's impossible. Rachel is my only child."

"That's what I told her. Then I remembered that cousin of Dad's who named her daughter Shelby. I told this girl that, and we figured out that the person she was looking for was the other Shelby, but I just thought you should know."

"Did she believe you?"

"It seemed like it."

"Well…thank you for telling me. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do with that information, but thank you."

"You don't need to do anything with it. Like I said, I just thought you should know."

* * *

"I figured you were probably hiding down here," Rachel commented as she walked into the basement to find Jesse standing alone on the stage.

"Because I wasn't in the music room?" Jesse replied as he hugged her.

"Pretty much. What are you doing?"

"Rehearsing."

"Jesse."

"What?"

"You promised me that you'd relax today, remember?" Rachel reminded him.

"I am going to relax….with you," Jesse replied simply. When Rachel simply sent him a look that made it clear she wasn't amused, he sighed. "Rach, I'm  _fine_ , I promise. I asked Jack to listen to the song and give me his opinion because I value his opinion and I wanted to make sure it was what he and Shelby wanted. I was upstairs in the music room for a while, too. I'm not going to over-exert myself."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend before she spoke again.

"You better not," she told him before sliding her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly, lying her head on his chest.

Wrapping his arms around Rachel, Jesse chuckled.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my bossy drama queen."

"It's still kind of odd hearing someone call me a drama queen and not mean anything derogatory by it," Rachel mumbled.

"I'd be a hypocrite if I did."

"I know, but still."

"I'd never miss your drama, Rach. You keep things interesting."

Rachel laughed as she hugged her boyfriend again.

"So do you, Jess," she responded.

"I do believe I was promised a movie with my always beautiful girlfriend," Jesse reminded her a few moments later.

"I think that can be arranged," Rachel replied with a grin, taking Jesse's hand and leading him over to the nearby couch. "I picked out the movie this morning."

* * *

"How did you manage to pry Jesse and Rachel away from this room?" Shelby joked as she walked into the music room.

Jack laughed as he stood to hug and kiss his fiancée.

"I didn't, actually. Jesse asked for my opinion on his solo for Nationals and then I think he was putting new songs into the karaoke machine. I figured I should take advantage of the room not being occupied by one or both of the teenagers that reside here," he answered.

"Good idea. What did you think of Jesse's solo, by the way?"

"I think he's trying to cover up the fact that he's nervous. I can't blame him for wanting to make sure he's on the right track, though. If he needed to fix something, which he doesn't, I'd rather tell him now than a day before the competition."

"He kind of reminds me of you when we were teenagers," Shelby revealed.

"That's what I was thinking when we were rehearsing today. It was kind of eerie. With you and Rachel, it's not all that weird for you two to be alike; because you're mother and daughter, but Jesse and I…we're not related."

"That doesn't mean he can't remind you if yourself."

"I know, but it just kind of threw me off for a minute. He's more mature than I was at that age, but I completely understand the drive to be the best and to want to accomplish something in life. He has what it takes to be on Broadway, but I don't need to tell you that."

"You had it, too. We both did, but it wasn't what we were meant to do."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes. We learned from our mistakes, we know where we went wrong. Not just in our Broadway dreams, but the mistakes we all learn growing up. I really do enjoy being a teacher and being able to help these kids accomplish their dreams."

"I understand. That's kind of how I felt when Laura and Jason suggested I look into teaching."

"Sara suggested it to me."

"Speaking of family, we should probably get both of our families together  _before_  the actual wedding," Jack suggested. "Not that I think anything bad will happen, I would just like for them to meet or re-acquaint themselves with each other."

"I understand. We'll call them all later. For now, I'd like to take advantage of having the room to ourselves. How about a duet?"

"Sure," Jack readily agreed. "What would you like to sing?"

"You'll see," Shelby replied, taking a nearby sheet music book and opening it up to the page she wanted before holding it out for Jack.

Taking the book, Jack smiled when he saw the song she had picked.

"As you wish," he said, setting the book on the piano before taking a seat on the bench next to Shelby and then beginning the song.

**Moon so bright, night so fine**  
Keep your heart here with mine  
Life's a dream we are dreaming

_Race the moon, catch the wind_  
Ride the night to the end  
Seize the day, stand up for the light

_**I want to spend my lifetime loving you  
If that is all in life I ever do** _

* * *

"Isn't that Dominic's car?" Sara commented to her daughter as she pulled into their driveway.

"It is," Holly confirmed. "We had talked about doing something today, but never set anything in stone. At least, I don't think we did."

"Maybe he just wanted to surprise you."

"Probably. I hope Liam isn't torturing him."

Sara laughed as she and Holly exited the car.

"I'm sure he's fine. Your dad and grandpa are here, too."

"Great. Even more potential for embarrassing stories."

"How does Dominic feel about video games?"

"He does have a little brother, so I would guess he's played them a time or two," Holly answered, following her mother into the house and down the hall to the living room.

"I'll put your dress in your closet," Sara told her daughter as she headed towards the stairs.

* * *

After calling out a quick thank you to her mother, Holly walked into the living room and couldn't help but smile. Dominic was sitting on the floor next to Liam, with her father and grandfather sitting behind them cheering them on.

"Mario Kart. I should have known," she said from the doorway.

"It was Liam's idea," Charles told his granddaughter.

"Of that I have no doubt," Holly replied, moving to take a seat next to her boyfriend.

"He beat me," Liam said a few moments later, his disbelief evident in his voice.

"I told you it was possible," Nick reminded his son with a laugh.

"He beat me," Liam repeated, causing Holly to begin laughing.

"About time!" she exclaimed, leaning over to press a kiss to Dominic's cheek. "You really are the best boyfriend. Kicking my little brother's butt for me."

Dominic laughed as he handed Liam back the controller.

"Not my first time playing this, I'm afraid," he revealed. "My little brother is kind of obsessed with it. The only person he hasn't convinced to play against him yet is Alec."

"He's not very good at it," Liam responded.

"Maybe we should bring Jordan over sometime. He and Liam can play Mario Kart, or whatever game they want, to their hearts' content," Holly suggested to Dominic.

"Not a bad idea," Dominic agreed as he stood and then helped Holly to do the same. "I'll ask him later tonight."

"How long ago did you get here?"

"About an hour ago, I think. I meant to surprise you; I thought you'd be home."

"I went bridesmaid dress shopping."

"Sounds like you had a fun morning, then," Dominic commented as he and Holly began to walk upstairs.

"I did. It was a nice surprise that you were here when I got home, too," Holly replied. "Have you heard from Lina?"

"I talked to her this morning for a few minutes. She and Alec are spending the day doing what Alec's best friend called stupid tourist stuff."

"That sounds like Aiden."

"That's what Lina said. It sounds like she's having a good time, though, so I'm happy for her."

"You miss her, don't you?" Holly asked as she opened the door to her room.

"She's my sister and one of my best friends, so of course I do. It's kind of weird not having her around now that I'm used to her being there."

"I get it. When Liam spent a few days at our cousin's house, I kept expecting to see him walk out of his room and annoy me or something."

"Lina says hi, by the way. She also said to assure Rachel that she and Alec plan to see Wicked while she's there. I think they were going to go tonight, actually."

"I'll text Rachel. She's probably with Jesse, so I'm sure he'll be equally happy to hear about Lina's plans to see Wicked."

"I told her to pay attention because they'll want to discuss it at length with her."

Holly laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"They definitely will. Rachel actually scolded me for not paying better attention the first time I saw it. If they ever release a DVD of it, she'll probably make me sit and watch it like she did with  _Funny Girl_  when we were younger."

"She wouldn't be Rachel if she didn't go a little overboard sometimes."

"That's true, but still. At least now she has Jesse. Sometimes I try to follow their conversations and I just end up lost."

Dominic laughed as Holly took a seat next to him on her bed.

"Me, too," he told her as she curled up next to him.

"Do you mind if we just hang out here today?" Holly asked. "I don't really feel like going anywhere else."

"As long as you don't ask me to leave anytime soon, that's perfectly fine with me," Dominic replied.

* * *

"Do you think I bought enough "stupid tourist" stuff?" Melina joked as she and Alec walked up to his apartment.

"I'm pretty sure you bought more than enough," Alec replied with a laugh. "Although your idea to buy Aiden's favorite kind of coffee to put in the cup with his name on it was genius."

"I wanted to do something nice for him. He didn't have to agree to let me stay at the apartment and he didn't have to be nice to me. He's been great the entire time I've been here. I think we may have even become friends."

"It's certainly nice to see my girlfriend and my best friend getting along for a change."

"Do you know if he has to work tonight?" Melina asked as they approached the apartment door.

"Not that I know of, but he could have picked up a shift," Alec answered as he unlocked the door.

After walking in and observing Aiden asleep on the couch and the TV playing the credits of a movie, Melina turned to her boyfriend.

"I take it that's a no," she said.

"Well, it's about time he took a day off. I'm pretty sure he just picks up shifts to attempt to stay on his boss' good side, if the guy even has one."

"Are things really that bad?"

"I've met the guy once, purely by coincidence. I stopped by to drop something off for Aiden and witnessed him being yelled at for taking too long to cook the food. When Aiden tried to defend himself, his boss just yelled more. First it was just an 'I'm going to show you I'm better than you' thing, but then he got the offer from Hiram so he's doing what he can to hold onto the job."

"Poor Aiden."

"You idiots know I can hear you, right?" Aiden grouched from his spot on the couch.

"You love us and you know it," Melina responded with a bright smile. "Besides, we bought you something."

"I have enough stupid tourist things."

"Just shut up and take the present," Alec commanded good-naturedly.

"It's not a stupid tourist thing, though I did buy plenty of those," Melina added.

Sitting up, Aiden took the offered box from his best friend's girlfriend…his newest friend. When he saw what the box contained, he began to laugh.

"This is genius," he said, taking the mug out to admire it. "You even included coffee."

"Of course," Melina replied with a smile.

"Thanks, friend."

"You're welcome, friend."

Turning to his best friend, Aiden directed his next comment to him.

"You should keep her, Alec," he said.

"I'll see what I can do," Alec promised.

"Can we eat now?" Melina requested. "I'm starving."

"I'll order something."

Once Alec had walked away, Aiden turned back to the girl standing in front of the couch.

"Did you two have fun today?"

"We did, thank you," Melina replied. "Did you enjoy having the place to yourself?"

"Yes. I didn't have anyone except Natasha yell at me today."

"Why did she yell at you?"

"Because I told her not to bother you and/or Alec today. She doesn't like being told what to do."

"What did she want?"

"To talk. She was bored."

"Did you two talk?"

"Not really. She just yelled and then hung up. Pretty sure she doesn't see me the way I think I might see her, which just adds to awesomeness that is my life right now."

"I think you're wrong."

"I don't think so, but thanks for the vote of confidence. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not talk about it."

"Alec said your mom would get a kick out of the personalized coffee mug, too," Melina said, changing the subject.

"She will when I tell her about it," Aiden agreed. "She was always the one to get personalized stuff for my brother and me when we were kids."

"Is he older or younger?"

"Older. The typical oldest child. He visits sometimes. He lives in Connecticut with his girlfriend. You met them at the party for my grandparents."

"For like two seconds."

"Am I interrupting something?" Alec asked as he walked over to the two new friends.

"Just making sure your girlfriend stays entertained," Aiden replied.

"I can take care of that, thank you," Alec replied, waiting a beat before speaking again. "You smell, go shower."

"You're one to talk."

After she watched Aiden walk down the hall, Melina turned to her boyfriend.

"Was that some kind of boy thing I won't ever really understand?" she asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Alec replied, leaning down to brush his lips with hers. "He knows I didn't mean anything bad by it."

"Boys."

* * *

"I reserved a table for us at Hiram's restaurant," Nick told his wife as he walked into the study. "You're taking a break from your work for a night."

"What makes you think I'll go with you?" Sara asked with a laugh as her husband took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Hmm…because you missed me and you love me?"

"Well, I suppose that's true."

"How long do I have to get ready?"

"An hour," Nick replied with a smile. "The kids will be fine by themselves for a few hours."

"You're evil, you know that?" Sara wondered as she stood.

Nick laughed as he followed his wife out of the room.

"No, I just know you. Holly said she plugged in your hair dryer and curling iron. She picked out a dress and set out your make-up."

"Of course you and our daughter would conspire against me."

" _Je t'aime_ ," Nick replied simply.

Sara smiled as she walked into the bedroom they shared.

" _Je t'aime, aussi_ ," she replied. "Now go away so I can get ready."

"Your wish is my command,  _mon amour_ ," Nick replied with a laugh as he began to get ready himself, thankful he had decided to shower  _before_  telling his wife about their plans.

* * *

Once they had finished watching the chosen musical, Jesse stood and held out his hand for Rachel's.

"Dance with me?" he requested.

Rachel smiled and nodded as she placed her hand in Jesse's and let him pull her up off of the couch.

"Always," she replied.

Taking the remote off of the nearby end table, Jesse pressed the  _play_  button before sliding his arms around Rachel's waist and pulling her close. As the song began, he found himself unable to stop singing along.

**Wise men say**  
Only fools rush in  
But I can't help  
Falling in love with you.

As she heard Jesse begin to sing, Rachel couldn't help but smile. Seeing as she would never turn down a duet with her boyfriend, she took the next few lines herself.

_Shall I stay_  
Would it be a sin  
If I can't help  
Falling in love with you  
Like a river flows

**Surely to the sea**

_**Darling, so it goes** _

**Some things are meant to be** _(are mean to be)_

* * *

**Translations:**

_Je t'aime_  = I love you

_Je t'aime, aussi_ = I love you, too.

**Songs:**

Shelby and Jack: "I Want to Spend my Lifetime Loving You" by Marc Anthony and Tina Arena

Rachel and Jesse: "I Can't Help Falling in Love" by Andrea Bocelli and Katharine McPhee (original artist: Elvis Presley)


	62. Chapter 62

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee

* * *

As he and Melina were getting ready to leave to see  _Wicked_ , Alec heard a knock at the door. Glancing at his best friend, he saw that Aiden seemed just as confused as to who could be at the door.

"You might as well open it, since you're right there," Aiden suggested.

"Thanks for the suggestion, I never would have been able to figure that out myself," Alec retorted, causing Aiden to simply laugh in response.

Opening the door, Alec was only slightly surprised to see his twin sister and her boyfriend standing on the other side of it.

"I should have known," he commented, earning an annoyed look from his sister in return.

"Are you telling me you aren't happy to see me?" Marina demanded in mock-outrage.

"I'm always happy to see you, Mari."

"That's better."

"Mel and I were just about to leave, but you and Edmund are welcome to stay with Aiden."

"I haven't seen him in a while, so that would be fine with me," Marina told him before turning to her boyfriend. "Is that okay with you?"

"As long as we don't have to do any more traveling today, I'm perfectly okay with that," Edmund responded.

"What happened to the two of you spending the week in Boston relaxing?" Alec asked as he moved to let his sister and her boyfriend into the apartment.

"She got bored," Edmund answered, eliciting chuckles from both Alec and Aiden.

"Typical Marina," Aiden commented.

Marina made a face at his back before turning to her brother.

"Where's Melina?"

"Right here," Melina answered as she walked into the living room. "Hi, Marina."

"Where are you two off to?" Marina asked the younger girl as they hugged.

"To see  _Wicked_. Rachel, Kurt, and Jesse insist it's necessary that I see it in person regardless of the fact that I'm pretty sure I know the entire musical by now."

"I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Plus, there's nothing quite like a live Broadway show."

"They said that, too. I'm looking forward to it."

"Good. Have fun, and make sure my brother stays out of trouble."

Melina laughed as she walked over to Alec and slid her arm around his waist.

"I think I can handle that," she assured the older girl.

"I think you can, too," Marina responded, waiting until Melina and Alec had shut the door before turning to Aiden. "So, have you decided to make use of my matchmaking skills yet?"

In response to Marina's seemingly innocent question, Edmund laughed while Aiden simply groaned as he let his head fall onto the back of the couch.

* * *

"How is it they have so much energy while they're awake, but they sleep like the dead?" Jack asked his fiancée as she covered up Rachel and Jesse.

"I'm not really sure," Shelby responded as she returned to his side. "I think they wear themselves out. I have to admit, though, that I never really thought of Jesse as the affectionate type."

"Rachel brings out his softer side. He doesn't have to be anyone but himself with her."

"I can certainly understand that feeling."

"Me, too."

"Do you think they'll be okay on the couch? Should we wake them?" Shelby asked as she and Jack walked towards the steps.

"They'll be fine. If they decide to move to a bed, there's always the guest bedroom down the hall."

"That's true."

"Come on, it's late, we should get some sleep, too," Jack responded, taking Shelby's hand and leading her upstairs to their room.

* * *

When they walked into the kitchen the next morning, Rachel and Jesse were surprised to find that the only trace of anyone else being there was a note with their names on it. Picking it up, Rachel quickly read it before filling her boyfriend in.

"It's from Daddy. He said he missed us at breakfast this morning, but he hopes we enjoyed sleeping in. He's at the restaurant, but he said he'd make us breakfast there if we stopped by."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Let's go get ready and then we'll go."

"We were going to go to breakfast with Kurt and Blaine this morning, remember?" Rachel reminded him.

"We'll change the venue. It's not like they'll mind."

"I'll call Kurt and let him know. Do you think he's with Blaine already?"

"I'm not sure. Blaine said they didn't have any set plans, and that's all I know," Jesse responded as he and Rachel began to walk upstairs.

"I should make sure my Mom or Dad knows we're meeting Daddy at the restaurant."

"We'll find one of them before we leave. I'm sure they probably already know, though."

"Probably," Rachel agreed as she and Jesse walked into her room.

"I can call Kurt if you want to start getting ready," Jesse volunteered.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer," Rachel replied, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. "You're the best."

* * *

As he was waiting for Blaine, Kurt was surprised to hear his phone begin to ring. Glancing at the screen, he saw that Jesse was calling him. While he considered Jesse his friend, they didn't really talk on the phone much; it was usually Rachel who called.

"Hello, Jesse," Kurt greeted.

"Hi, Kurt," Jesse replied. "Rachel and I were wondering if you and Blaine would be open to changing our plans a little."

"Well, I guess that depends on the change."

"Hiram offered to cook us breakfast if we stopped by the restaurant. Instead of going to  _Cravings_ , we thought we would just go to  _Prime Thyme_  instead."

"I have no problem with that. I doubt Blaine will, either, but I'll talk to him when he gets here…which should be soon."

"If he does have a problem with it for some reason, just let me know. Do you think it would be easier to meet there?"

"Probably, since Blaine and I have plans of our own this afternoon, and I'm sure Rachel will want to spend time with Hiram."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll let Rachel know."

"Tell her not to take too long getting ready, I'm hungry."

"I'll make sure to do that," Jesse told him with a laugh before ending the call and walking into the bathroom to begin his own morning routine.

* * *

Seeing his daughter, her boyfriend, and their two friends walk into the restaurant, Hiram's smile grew as they approached.

"Hi, Daddy," Rachel greeted as she hugged him tightly.

"Hi, sweetie," Hiram returned. "I didn't mean to interrupt your plans."

"I'm perfectly fine with the change," Kurt told the older man. "Blaine is, too."

"That's true," Blaine agreed. "Thank you for letting Kurt and I tag along as well."

"You're welcome. It was no trouble."

"I would have called you both crazy if you were to turn down Hiram's cooking," Jesse added, earning a chuckle from Hiram.

"My dad said to tell you thanks for the pasta the other day, too," Kurt said.

"Were you two able to have lunch together?"

"Yes. It was in his office, but still. I was able to see him for a little while."

"That's always nice to be able to do," Hiram agreed with a smile. "Now, what can I get the four of you for breakfast?"

* * *

"Are you staking your claim on the room for the day again?" Shelby teased as she walked into the music room to find her fiancé already there.

"I figured I'd take advantage of the kids being gone for the morning," Jack answered, standing to pull Shelby into his arms.

"Did you hear back from your sister?"

"She said she was still looking into it, but she'd let me know soon."

"So basically she's trying not to outright say no."

"I'm not sure," Jack answered. "I wish I could give you a better answer."

"Maybe we should just try going to a resort somewhere."

"I can ask her to look into that too. We'll figure something out."

"How do you feel about France?" Shelby asked a few moments later.

"I've never been there, and I don't speak French, but my sister assures me it's beautiful," Jack answered. "Why?"

"Nick and Holly speak French, and Dominic knows quite a bit, too. Dominic's mother is going to be in France this summer, I'll have to find out the exact dates, but I know Sara had to tell Holly she couldn't go. I've always wanted to go there, so why not make a family vacation out of it?" Shelby answered.

"You just want to see Holly freak out when she finds out."

"Well, that would be an added benefit. She's worked so hard this year, improved so much, I think she should be rewarded for it. I'll convince Sara."

"I'll talk to Becca, see what she can do. Are you sure France is where you want to go?"

"Positive. Are you okay with going there?"

"Honestly, Shel, I don't really care. I just want to marry you. Vacations are always nice, and as long as you and the rest of our crazy family are there, I'm sold."

"Good. Since we're on the topic of granting requests, I was thinking there's a few more we shouldn't have any problem with."

* * *

A couple of days later, as he and Shelby were getting ready to go out to dinner, Jack saw that his sister was calling him.

"Hello?" he answered.

"If I tell you I found a place in France for your honeymoon/family vacation, will I be your favorite sibling?" Becca asked.

"It's a possibility. What did you find?"

"Shelby gave me the dates she's looking for and I found a resort that is willing to give us a discount if we book as a group. I sent you both more information about it, plus a couple of others."

"I'll check it out when we get home. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, Mom was saying something about a family gathering?"

"Shelby wants the two families to meet again before she and I get married. We're working on a date for that. Hiram said we could use the group room at the restaurant, so we have a location at least."

"Well, keep me posted. I need to go, but call me if you have any questions."

"I will. Thanks again."

* * *

"Is it May yet?" Melina asked with a sigh as she and Alec walked into the airport.

"I wish," Alec responded. "It's almost April, so I guess it's not that far away."

"It feels like a lot longer."

"You'll be busy with school and graduation coming up. I'll be home for the summer by the time you graduate. I think Mama is even planning a graduation present for you."

"I could definitely go for some of the  _pastilas_  she makes."

"I'll make sure to pass that onto her. Although I'm sure she already knows you like them."

"Probably," Melina agreed with a smile. "She told me I could visit anytime, even if you weren't home or I didn't have plans with Tasha."

"That sounds like her."

"I wish you could just come back to Ohio with me now," Melina said softly a few moments later.

"Me, too, Mel," Alec replied, hugging her tightly. "Call me when you land, okay?"

"I will. I love you."

"I love you, too."

After exchanging a kiss with her boyfriend, Melina reluctantly stepped out of his embrace and made her way towards the security checkpoint.

* * *

"Whatever you're making smells delicious," Jack commented as he walked into the kitchen as Rachel was finishing up some baking.

"Thank you," she replied. "This batch is for Melina, but there's another one in the container on the counter."

"Melina comes back from New York today, right?"

"Yeah. I figured she'd probably be sad, and while I can't bring Alec here, I can make her favorite cookies and bring those to her in an attempt to make her feel a little better."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate it the thought. You're a good friend, Rachel."

"I try to be."

"I'd say you're doing a very good job."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Are you ready to get back into rehearsals tomorrow?"

"Yes and no. I've enjoyed my time off, and I kind of wish I had a few more days, but I also enjoy seeing my friends every day and getting to sing with them."

"That's understandable. That's always how I felt about going back to school and rehearsals, too."

"What was my mom like when she was my age?" Rachel wondered. "Daddy has told me some things, but you knew my mom better back then…"

"A lot like you, which I'm sure you already know," Jack began. "A bit less self-confidence, but she was a good student, she loved to sing and dance. She had just started to look into teaching when we met, but I always got the impression that it was a back-up."

"Do you think she'd rather be on Broadway than teaching?"

"No, I don't. She loves being a mother and having time to spend with you. I think she really loves teaching and coaching, too. She's always been close to your Aunt Sara, so having her close by is another plus. She still gets to sing and dance, which is what she loves to do."

"If I make it to Broadway, do you think I'll be able to balance that with having a family someday?"

"I know you will," Jack replied with a smile. "If something is truly important to you, you find a way to make it work."

* * *

"Hi, Grandma," Jesse greeted as he walked into the living room of his sister's house. "Gen said you wanted to see me?"

"That's correct," Jacqueline confirmed, patting the seat beside her on the couch. "I found something I thought you might like."

Curious as to what his grandmother had found, Jesse took a seat next to her and waited for her to continue.

"You were asking about your grandfather the other day, what he was like when he was younger. I found this photo album from when we were about your age. It includes our wedding photos as well."

"Am I like him at all?" Jesse wondered as he looked through the album.

"You are a lot alike. I think you two would have been close if he had lived long enough for you two to get to know each other."

"I don't remember a lot about him."

"You were only about five when he passed away, I don't expect you to remember a lot. He had a feeling you would end up being a performer when you grew up, though."

"He did?"

Jacqueline smiled as she remembered that particular conversation.

"He did. From a young age, you loved music and not long after you learned to talk, you began to sing along to the songs. You would bob your head to the beat of the music. Whenever you came over, he would take you over to the piano and let you play. He adored you."

"I remember sitting at the piano with him as he played Christmas carols."

"That was his last Christmas with us. He passed away a few months later. I'm sure he's in Heaven bragging about his talented grandson. Your personalities are similar, too."

"How so?"

"Neither if you like to outwardly show emotions, but deep down, all you want is to be loved. He was always singing around the house, playing the piano. I think if he had had a choice, he would have been a performer. He was the oldest and his parents relied on him to help with the household bills and his siblings, so he had to start working at a young age. He believed in hard work and determination, traits that I see in you. As you'll see, you favor him in looks as well."

"How did you meet him?" Jesse wondered.

"We were classmates. Friends first and it grew into more. He later told me that he knew the first time we met that I was special-that I would hold a special place in his life."

"That's how I felt about Rachel. There was something about her I couldn't put my finger on yet, but I knew she was special."

Jacqueline smiled at Jesse's revelation.

"I told you that you and your grandfather were a lot alike," she reminded him.

"Do you think he'd be proud of me?"

"Yes, I believe he would. He's probably up in Heaven right now bragging about his grandchildren-you, Genevieve, Blaine, and Cooper. He loved all of you. He'd be incredibly proud. I know I am."

"It means a lot to hear that," Jesse confessed softly, looking down at the pictures of the grandfather he barely knew and only vaguely remembered.

"Jesse, look at me."

Doing as his grandmother requested, Jesse raised his head to look at her.

"I told you the day you got into Tisch that I was proud of you. I've always been proud of you, and I see no reason why I won't continue to be. Your grandfather was proud of you, and I believe whole-heartedly that he would be still proud of you if he were alive today. I'm sorry I wasn't around more when you were growing up, but I hope you know that I will  _always_  be here if you need me," Jacqueline told him, pulling him into a hug.

"Thanks, Grandma," Jesse said as he returned the hug.

* * *

When she reached Melina's, Rachel quickly made her way to the door and rang the doorbell. She wasn't sure what time the older girl would be home, but considering it was now late afternoon, she guessed it would be soon.

"Hi, Rachel," Dominic greeted as he answered the door.

"Hi," Rachel returned with a smile. "Is Melina home yet?"

"She's upstairs in her room. She's not really up to company right now, though. I'm sorry."

"I understand. I was doing some baking earlier and I thought she might like some cookies. I made her favorite kind. If you could just let her know I stopped by."

"I can do that," Dominic replied, taking the container from his friend. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow."

"Is your mom really considering France for her honeymoon/your family's vacation?"

"I take it your mom told you?" Rachel responded. At Dominic's nod, she continued. "Yes, she is. She's always wanted to go there, plus with you, Holly, and my uncle, we have built in translators. She also wanted to reward Holly. I was actually surprised my aunt was so willing to go along with the plan."

"She's probably looking forward to the look on Holly's face when she finds out," Dominic theorized.

"I think we all are. I just hope she doesn't get mad at us for not telling her sooner."

"She won't. She'll be too excited about going. I won't say anything to her, though. I'll see you tomorrow, Rachel. Thanks again for the cookies."

"There's a few extra on the top for you and the rest of your family," Rachel revealed. "See you tomorrow."

* * *

When he reached his sister's room, Dominic reached up to knock on the door.

"Lina, it's me. Open up."

Knowing it was no use to argue with her brother, Melina opened the door and let him in before reclaiming her spot on her bed.

"Rachel brought cookies," Dominic said, setting the container on her desk. "How are you feeling?"

Melina closed her eyes and shrugged in response.

"My boyfriend is over 400 miles away, how do you think I feel?" she responded.

"Like crap."

"Pretty much."

"He said he'd be at Nationals, right?"

"Yeah. That's still a month away, though."

"It's better than two months."

Melina narrowed her eyes at her brother.

"You know, sometimes your optimistic outlook is really annoying," she told him, eliciting a laugh from Dominic in return.

"You don't mean that," he reminded her.

"No, I don't. I just don't feel very optimistic right now."

"That's understandable. Do you need anything?"

"No. I have some homework I need to finish, and I told Alec I'd call him later."

"Okay, well, I'm here if you need anything," Dominic told her, leaning down to hug her.

"Thanks, big brother," Melina responded as she returned his hug.

Dominic chuckled as he walked towards the door.

"You're welcome, little sister," he said as he left the room.

* * *

At rehearsal the next day, Melina cornered Rachel right away.

"Thanks for the cookies," she told the younger girl.

"You're welcome," Rachel responded with a smile. "How are you feeling today?"

"A little better. Alec said he and Aiden would be at Nationals, so I started a countdown."

"I'm glad they'll be there. For you, Tasha, and the team."

Melina smiled at the mention of their mutual friend.

"Just don't tell her that," she said with a laugh.

"I wouldn't dare," Rachel replied, joining in Melina's laughter.

"Are you and Jesse going to sing a duet before we start rehearsal?"

"No. My Mom said she and Jack had something else planned, actually. She wouldn't tell me what, though."

"I guess we'll find out soon, since it looks like they want to get started right away. I could use the distraction, anyway," Melina commented as she and Rachel took their seats.

* * *

"Do you have any idea what they have planned?" Rachel asked her boyfriend as she took her seat next to him.

"No idea," Jesse answered. "I did overhear something yesterday about a duet, though. I would guess it's for them to sing, but I'm not sure."

"Could be. You don't think they'd change our duet, do you?"

"For Nationals? No. Not this close to the competition. Do you want to change it?"

"No. I like the song we chose. I'm just curious as to what they have planned and why they didn't mention anything to either of us."

"I imagine they wanted it to be a surprise."

"Don't be a smart ass."

Jesse laughed as he leaned over to press a kiss to Rachel's cheek.

"Just relax, Rach. I'm sure it's nothing bad. Besides, you said yourself that you were trying to convince them to sing a song for us."

Reaching for her boyfriend's hand, Rachel laced their fingers together before she spoke again.

"I guess we're about to find out."

* * *

"Welcome back, everyone," Shelby began. "We hope you enjoyed your break, but now it's time to get back to work. Nationals are in a month and for many of you, this could be your fourth consecutive National title. It's also potentially the first for many others. Jack and I have decided to reward all of the hard work you've put in so far by granting one of your requests-for us to sing a duet."

Once Shelby had started the music, Jack waited for his cue before he began to sing.

**Now I've had the time of my life**  
No I never felt like this before  
Yes I swear it's the truth  
and I owe it all to you

_'Cause I've had the time of my life  
and I owe it all to you_

**I've been waiting for so long**  
Now I've finally found someone  
To stand by me

_We saw the writing on the wall  
As we felt this magical fantasy_

__**Now with passion in our eyes**  
There's no way we could disguise it secretly  
So we take each other's hand  
'Cause we seem to understand the urgency


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N:** I have sort of been casting my OCs, mostly just if I think of an actor or actress who I think would be good for the role if it were real, so far I only have Jack and Sara, but I will be adding Holly and Tabitha relatively soon. Check my tumblr for those choices. Enjoy and please review!

* * *

"Hi, sweetie, Jesse, how was rehearsal?" Hiram greeted as he saw Rachel and Jesse walk into the living room later that night.

"Mom and Jack sang a duet," Rachel revealed as first she, and then Jesse, hugged her dads.

"Which song did they sing?" Leroy wondered.

"( _I've had) the Time of My Life_ ," Jesse responded.

"That explains why I heard them practicing that song the other day," Hiram added. "Speaking of your Mom and Jack, where are they?"

"They should be here shortly; they were just packing up when we left."

"So, aside from the duet, how's everyone doing?"

"Everything is going well, we're just fine-tuning some things," Rachel answered. "I'm kind of looking forward to after Nationals more than the competition itself, though."

"Because you want to see Holly's reaction to where the wedding will take place?"

"Yes, but I also know how much both she and Dominic have wanted to go to France, and how disappointed she was when Aunt Sara told her she couldn't go with Dominic and his mom. I think she may actually be speechless. I wish I could tell her now, but Mom and Aunt Sara have both forbidden it."

"Well, if Holly has a problem with that, you know she won't hesitate to say anything."

"That's very true," Rachel agreed with a laugh, her laughter joined by that of the rest of the group.

* * *

"Holly?" Sara asked as she knocked on her daughter's bedroom door.

"Mom?" Holly returned as she opened the door, a confused look on her face.

"I have something for you."

Holly nodded, opening the door further and motioning for her mother to come in the room.

"How was rehearsal?" Sara wondered as she and Holly took seats on the bed.

"It was good. Rachel and Jesse are singing a duet, and Aunt Shelby is letting Dominic and me help with the choreography. It's been a nice change, having my ideas listened to…and she doesn't listen just because she's my aunt. She listens because she likes my ideas and wants us all to be involved."

"That sounds like Shelby. I'm glad you're enjoying school now."

"Me, too."

"Are you okay?"

"Sometimes I think I am, sometimes I think I'm not."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I want to enjoy my senior year, but I'm afraid I'm going to miss Dominic so much and worry about my future so much that I won't be able to. What if we grow apart? What if I don't get into any school in New York? I haven't even decided what I want to go to school for?"

"Your Uncle Michael took a year off between high school and college. Your grandparents were afraid he wouldn't go to college at all, but he figured out what he wanted to do and he went back. I can't speak for your father, but I would be okay with you moving to New York regardless of whether or not you get into college there. You would need to work and look into going to college, or re-applying to college. As far as enjoying your senior year, I know you're going to miss Dominic, but if you both want it to work, it will. You'll figure it out. He wouldn't want you to be sad. You'll have Rachel and Tasha, and the rest of your friends, too. Plus, I'm sure your Aunt Shelby could think of plenty of things to keep you busy."

"Can I visit Dominic and Lina on breaks from school?"

"If you keep up your grades, I'll discuss it with your dad."

"Well, it's not a 'no'," Holly said with a sigh before changing the subject. "So, what do you have for me?"

"I know you already have a necklace from Dominic, and you don't wear a lot of jewelry besides that, but I was going through some of the things I received from my mom when I was your age and I thought you might be able to wear these sometime," Sara explained as she handed Holly a small, square jewelry box.

"Where did you get these? They're so pretty," Holly wondered as she opened the box to reveal a pair of ruby earrings.

"They were my grandmother's. Your great-grandmother. She gave them to your grandmother when she was your age, then your grandmother gave them to me, and now I'm giving them to you. I know you haven't chosen your prom dress yet, but I was thinking you could wear them. If they match, that is."

"I hope I find something I can wear them with. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll let you get some sleep. Have a good night, sweetheart."

"'Night, Mom."

* * *

After Shelby's music class the next day, Holly approached her aunt to ask for her help with something she had been thinking about for a while.

"Aunt Shelby?" Holly asked, getting her aunt's attention.

Looking up from the music she'd been looking at, Shelby turned her attention to her niece.

"You look anxious, is everything okay?" she wondered.

"I know I'm supposed to spend next period in study hall with the rest of the team, but I was hoping to talk to Ms. Pillsbury-Howell about some college stuff."

"You don't need my permission to go see your guidance counselor, Holly."

"I know, but I don't have an appointment and I haven't had time to make one, but I want to talk to her before I change my mind again."

"I understand," Shelby told her. "Come on, I'll call her and see if she's free."

"Thanks, Aunt Shelby."

"You're welcome. How are your classes going?"

"So far so good. I'm trying to stay organized and on top of things. Rachel is good at helping me with the organizational part."

Shelby laughed as she unlocked the door to her office.

"That sounds like her," she said before picking up the phone and dialing Emma's extension.

"What did she say?" Holly asked once Shelby and Emma had finished their conversation.

"She said she has time for you now so you can go right to her office."

"Thanks again, Aunt Shelby."

"You're welcome. If you're going to be late for rehearsal, let me know."

"I don't think it'll take that long, but I will," Holly told her aunt before sending a quick text to Rachel and Dominic, and then walking out the door.

* * *

As she approached Ms. Pillsbury-Howell's office, Holly took a deep breath before she entered. She had thought a lot about what she wanted to major in and had ultimately decided on nursing. She would always love to dance, but she realized it worked better for her as a hobby, as a way to unwind, than as a career choice.

"Hello, Holly," Emma greeted as she saw Holly walk into her office.

"Hi, Ms. Pillsbury-Howell," Holly returned, unsure how to approach what she wanted to talk about.

"Shelby said you wanted to see me before you changed your mind about something. Do you want to talk about what that something is?"

Holly nodded as she took a seat in front of Emma's desk.

"I want to go to school for nursing, but I'm not really sure what my options are. I got a few things from the schools we visited in New York, but I know there are other routes than just going right to a four-year program."

"That's right. I think your mom would probably know more about it than me, but I have had a few students in the past take a couple different paths to becoming a nurse. Are you set on school in New York?"

"Yes. I know I want to be in New York, and not just because Dominic is going to be there. That's a plus, but it's not my only reason."

"That's good to hear. Let me see what I can find for you. I would also recommend meeting with someone at the schools you're looking at to get a better idea of the program requirements. Which schools did you look at in New York?"

"Columbia and NYU. I haven't spoken to anyone there, though. I just got some information while we waited for Dominic and Jesse."

"Well, I'll give you what I have for schools in the area that offer nursing programs and you can take it from there. I want you to look through them and if you have any questions, let me know. I will try to answer them as best I can. I also recommend that you find time to contact the colleges you are most interested in. In-person appointments are always best, but I know that's difficult with you living in Ohio and the schools being in New York."

Holly nodded, taking the information Emma offered and listening to her advice. She was brought out of her daze by Emma's next question.

"Have you talked to your parents about your decision yet?"

"No. I didn't want to say anything until I was sure about it because I didn't want to be swayed either way. I wanted to be sure this was what I wanted to do, which it is."

"Good. That's what I like to hear. I know Shelby is expecting you at rehearsal soon, so I'll let you go, but if there's anything else I can do, just let me know."

"I will. Thanks," Holly said with a smile before exiting the room and walking towards the auditorium to find Dominic and their friends.

* * *

"Hey, stranger," Rachel greeted when she saw her cousin take a seat next to her in the auditorium.

"Hi, cousin," Holly returned. "Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Where were you? My Mom wouldn't say."

"I went to meet with Ms. Pillsbury-Howell."

"You aren't transferring, are you?"

"Don't be absurd. I like it here and I intend to stay here. You can't say anything to either of our moms until I talk to my parents."

"Did you decide on a major?"

"I think so. I'm like ninety-five percent sure I want to be a nurse. I'm not sure what path to getting there I'll take yet, but I know that part."

"You'll be an excellent nurse. Are you going to keep dancing?"

"Yes. I like to dance and I don't want to lose my love for it again. I might take a few dance classes but I don't want to be a dancer the way Dominic or Melina do."

"Understandable. Whatever you decide, as long as you're happy, I'll support you."

"Thanks, cousin."

"We're family and you're one of my best friends. I just want to see you happy."

"I know," Holly told her with a smile. "Now, have you seen Dominic?"

Rachel pointed to the stage, where Dominic was dancing with his sister to a song Jesse was playing on the piano.

"Well, I'm glad someone was keeping an eye on him. I'll have to thank Lina later."

Rachel laughed as she shook her head at her cousin.

"You should go dance with him. I'm sure Melina won't mind."

"Good idea," Holly agreed before standing and beginning to walk towards the stage.

* * *

"As adorable as you two look, I think I'm going to have to steal my boyfriend back," Holly commented as she walked into the stage once Dominic and Melina finished their dance.

Melina laughed before she hugged her friend.

"You okay? You rushed out of music class kind of suddenly today."

"I'm fine, I promise. I just needed to get some info from Ms. Pillsbury-Howell."

"What kind of info?" Dominic wondered.

"College type stuff. I'll fill you in later. I want to dance with you before rehearsal starts," Holly told him before turning to her cousin's boyfriend. "Are you taking requests?"

"I wasn't, but I guess I could make an exception for you. However, I have a different idea."

"By different you mean better."

"Exactly," Jesse replied with a smile before taking the small remote off of the piano and pressing the play button and then moving to the front of the stage before beginning the song.

_Bust it!_

_This here's a jam for all the fellas_  
Tryin to do what those ladies tell us  
Get shot down cause ya over-zealous  
Play hard to get females get jealous  
Okay smarty go to a party  
Girls are scantily clad and showin body  
A chich walks by you wish you could sex her  
But you're standing on the wall like you was Poindexter  
Next days function high class luncheon  
Food they're serving, you're stone-cold munchin  
Music comes on people start to dance  
But then you ate so much you nearly split your pants  
A girl starts walking guys start gawking  
Sits down next to you and starts talking  
Says she wants to dance cause she likes to groove  
So come on fatso and just bust a move

* * *

Walking into the auditorium, Jack and Shelby were both surprised to see the team gathered on the stage, dancing and singing along to a song that had been popular when they had been in high school.

"Should we interrupt them?" Shelby whispered.

"No, let them have some fun, it's good for them," Jack answered.

"They do look like they're having fun."

"I am kind of curious as to whose idea this song was."

"Jesse's. He heard it in a movie that he and Rachel were watching the other night. He insisted he could do it better."

"What did Rachel say?"

"She just laughed and shook her head. I think Jesse was joking, but sometimes I'm not quite sure."

"Whatever the case, it worked to get everyone to loosen up and have fun."

"I just want them to be prepared for Nationals. It's our most difficult competition."

"They know that, Shel. Doing well is important to them, too, but they're allowed to have a little fun. It's good for morale."

"I know, but I feel like I owe it to them to make sure they are as prepared as they can be."

"They will be. They've already come a long way since we started rehearsing these numbers. It's basically just refining at this point. Now, come on, let's start rehearsal before you start getting too many crazy ideas in your head."

"I do not get crazy ideas," Shelby insisted as she followed Jack towards the stage.

"I'm afraid you do, my love. Rachel certainly didn't inherit that from Hiram or learn it from Leroy."

Shelby narrowed her eyes at her fiancé before she spoke again.

"As Rachel tells Jesse about her ideas, mine are just part of my charm."

"They certainly are," Jack agreed with a chuckle as they approached the stage, where the team was now sitting.

* * *

"Did you have fun at rehearsal today?" Rachel asked her boyfriend with a laugh as they settled into her bed later that night.

"I did," Jesse responded. "I was a little surprised Shelby didn't say anything about not taxing ourselves too much right before Nationals."

"I have a feeling my soon-to-be step-father had something to do with that."

"Is that good or bad?"

"It's good. I like Jack and I'm glad he's officially going to be part of the family soon. I'm happy that he and my Mom got their second chance. He's good for her and he makes her happy."

"I agree."

"If we were ever separated for some reason, do you think we'd get a second chance like my Mom and Jack?"

"We would. We're an inevitability, remember?"

Rachel smiled and nodded before she spoke again.

"I remember," she assured him.

"Good. Now, let's get some sleep. I know you're tired and so am I."

"'Night, Jesse. I love you," Rachel told him before curling further into his arms and resting her head on his shoulder.

"'Night, Rach. I love you, too," Jesse responded, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before tugging the blanket up around her shoulders the way he knew she liked, sleep claiming them both a few minutes later.

* * *

song: Bust a Move by Young MC


	64. Chapter 64

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

A couple of weeks later, just two days before Nationals, Vocal Adrenaline, along with a few parents that had volunteered to be chaperones, gathered at the Akron-Canton Airport waiting to board the plane that would bring them to Philadelphia for their competition. As usual, Jesse and Rachel were sitting together while their friends gathered around nearby, some quiet and some chatting excitedly.

"Are you nervous?" Jesse asked his girlfriend, noticing she'd been unusually quiet this morning.

"A little," Rachel confessed. "I'm also kind of sad. This is the last time we'll get to perform together on stage for a while."

"I get it. It's been quite a year. We'll just have to make the most of this last competition by kicking some major show choir ass."

Rachel grinned at her boyfriend before she spoke again.

"I like the way you think."

"I know. I fully expect us to continue this being on the same page thing even when we're apart."

"Do you think we will?"

"I like to think so. I can't think of any reason why we wouldn't be. We'll be in constant contact, so it's not like we won't know what's going on in each other's lives. I'm sure it'll take some getting used to and it's bound to have its challenges, but we'll work through it."

"We will," Rachel agreed before changing the subject. "What have you found out about our competition?"

"Well, like I've said before, everyone there is the best from their region, so the level of competition is higher than at Sectionals or Regionals. They're all good, but only a few are close to Vocal Adrenaline's level. I found some videos of past competitions, but that doesn't mean the teams are at the same level. They could be better or worse, it's really dependent on what type of talent they have on their teams this year. We've lucked out the last few years. I just hope that luck continues."

"Jack seems to have the same kind of knack for finding talent that my Mom does, so I'm sure it'll be fine. Neither will let the team fall to pieces."

"That's true. I've been thinking about auditioning for Tisch's show choir. It would be weird not being captain or co-captain, though."

"I bet. How did you become captain so quickly, by the way? You never told me."

Before Jesse could explain, they heard the call for them to board the plane.

"I'll explain when we get settled on the plane," Jesse promised as he held out his hand for his girlfriend.

With a smile, Rachel grabbed her carry-on bag and then took Jesse's hand, walking hand-in-hand with him towards the line that had formed near the door.

* * *

"So, have you heard from Alec?" Tasha asked as she and Melina settled in their seats.

"I talked to him last night and we've been texting all morning. It sounds like he and Aiden plan to leave tomorrow morning, since it'll only taken them about two hours to get there."

"Aiden is going to be there?"

"Yes. Alec didn't want to drive alone and Aiden's part of our group now. I think Marina and Edmund are going to be there, too."

"They are. I just didn't expect Aiden to go."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, I just didn't," Tasha answered with a shrug before turning her head to look out the window at her side.

"I know you like him."

"I do not."

"I haven't said anything to Alec or Aiden, and I won't unless you tell me that it's okay. You know that."

"I know," Tasha admitted with a sigh as she turned to face her friend again. "I'm grateful for that, too, but I just have put whatever feelings I may or may not have for Aiden in the back of my mind. It works until he shows his stupid face and then they all come rushing forward."

"I know what you mean. I had put Alec in the back of my mind and then when I saw him again, it all came rushing back. I was so scared he'd think I was stupid."

"He never thought that. He generally doesn't jump to that conclusion about anyone."

"I know that now, but I didn't then. I didn't think he would like me or that he would understand anything about me, but he did and he does. You grew up with Aiden, so you two have an advantage there. You're already comfortable with each other."

"Yeah, in more of a brother/sister type of way."

"You said you talked for a while when he was home on break, right?"

"Yeah, about college and stuff. I was surprised how much he understood."

"You're attracted to him, aren't you?"

"Well, duh. Lots of girls are."

"I'm trying to help you, don't give me attitude."

"Sorry. It's true, though."

"It's not just Aiden's looks you like, though, is it?"

"No. It's not," Tasha admitted.

"This is new territory for you both. It's bound to be weird and awkward for a while."

"What about Alec? He's my brother and Aiden's best friend. He's already protective of me and I'm pretty sure he'd have Aiden's head if he knew he was beginning to think of me as anything but an honorary sister."

"I'm sure it will come as shock to him, but he'll get over it eventually. I'll help him and I have a feeling Marina would, too."

"She would. She's a hopeless romantic. I don't really want to talk about Aiden anymore, though."

"Whenever you do, I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Lina."

"You're welcome," Melina told her with a smile before changing the subject. "Now, you told me earlier that you had some new music you thought I should listen to. Do you have it with you?"

"It's on my iPod. I'll show you," Tasha replied as she pulled the music device out of her bag and selected the playlist she wanted before handing it to her friend.

* * *

"Why are you fidgeting so much?" Dominic asked his girlfriend as he watched her go through the contents of her bag another time.

"I'm nervous," Holly replied. "If I could pace right now, I would."

"Why are you nervous?"

"I always get nervous before competitions. I know how much this competition means to the team and I don't want to be the one that messes up, therefore ruining everything for everyone else."

"You aren't going to mess up. You could do these dances in your sleep. We all could."

"I also haven't told my mom about my decision to pursue nursing. I've tried, multiple times, but one of us always gets side-tracked or she's busy with something else."

"Are you afraid she'll be disappointed?"

"No. I'm pretty sure she'll be happy, but I'm afraid I won't like it and then I'll be back to square one."

"I think everyone feels that way when they pick a major. There's always that what-if going through your head."

"That doesn't help."

Dominic chuckled as he reached over to grab Holly's hand, lacing their fingers together as he spoke.

"I'm sorry. I think you will make an excellent nurse and I know you've been thinking about this for a while. It's not an easy decision to make, but it's not like you can never dance again. I will always gladly dance with you. Who knows, maybe you'll even find a way to incorporate the two things somewhere down the line."

"Maybe," Holly agreed. "Ms. Pillsbury-Howell did mention a class where I would be able to do a couple of internships of my choosing. I've seriously been considering taking it next year."

"Don't you already have a full course-load for next year?"

"No, I have room for one more class. I was going to talk to my mom about that, too. I really wanted to do it before this competition, too."

"Talk to Shelby. I'm sure she'd give you some time to talk to your mom. I don't think she has anything planned for tonight, just making sure we all get settled."

"I hope you're right."

"Even if I'm not, it's not like Shelby wouldn't give you time to talk to your mom. Especially since she's accompanying us on this trip."

"True," Holly agreed before she remembered something Dominic had said earlier. "What's this other surprise you had for me?"

* * *

"You seem more excited than nervous," Blaine commented as he saw his boyfriend look out the window again.

"I am. I've only been on a plane twice before and I've never been to Philadelphia. I know we won't get to see much, but it's someplace new and outside of Ohio."

"Apparently my parents, my brother, and I were there when I was little, but I don't remember it. I've seen pictures, though, so maybe I'll recognize some things."

"I'm just excited to get out of Ohio for a few days. I am a little nervous about the competition, but I think we're well prepared. Plus we have Rachel and Jesse, and there aren't many people who can give them a run for their money separately, let alone together."

"That's true. I was still surprised when Jesse told me that he and Rachel had decided on me for her co-captain for next year."

"I wasn't."

"You weren't?" Blaine asked, not sure he'd heard the younger boy correctly the first time.

"No, I wasn't," Kurt repeated. "You and Rachel were fast friends, and like Jesse, you're a natural leader. Just because there are others who have been on the team longer doesn't mean any of them wanted to be captain."

"That's a good point."

"Jesse trusts you. He knows you'll respect Rachel as your co-lead and teammate, plus you can keep up with her in duets. She can overpower some people and she shouldn't have to hold back because her duet partner can't keep up with her. Holding back isn't going to win competitions."

"When did you become so competitive?"

"I've always been. I just really haven't had a chance to show it until this year. Besides, with a best friend like Rachel, who wouldn't be? Her competitive spirit is kind of contagious."

Blaine chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"It is. Jesse's is, too. He always brought out the competitive side of me, even when we were little. At least that's what our Grandma says."

"I believe it."

"Do you think we have a shot at getting my cousin his fourth consecutive National championship?" Blaine wondered.

"I really think we do," Kurt answered. "I think we've really come together as a team and that's going to show on the stage. We know these numbers like the backs of our hands. Shelby and Jack have both said they think we're ready, and they wouldn't say that unless they meant it. What do you think?"

"I agree with you-I really think we have a good shot at this. I don't want to be over-confident, because I know mistakes can happen, but I don't have any bad feelings about it. I'm taking that as a good sign. Rachel and Jesse seem confident about it, too, so that helps."

"It's rare for them  _not_  to be confident about something."

"That's true, but I think we'd be able to tell if they were faking the confidence."

Kurt nodded in agreement.

"Rachel would have said something to me by now if that's how she was feeling. I think she'll be better once we get to rehearse on the stage we'll be singing on."

"I think we all will."

"Me, too. For now, though, I'd like to think about something other than the impending competition."

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

Later that night, as she was getting settled in the room she and Nick had been assigned for the weekend, Sara was surprised by a knock at her door. Glancing at her husband, she knew he didn't know who was at the door either. When she opened the door and saw Holly standing there with a worried expression on her face, she was immediately concerned.

"Holly, is everything okay?" Sara asked as she ushered her daughter into the room.

"I need to tell you something," Holly replied.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Nick wondered as he walked over to where his wife and daughter stood.

"I decided on a major."

"You did? What is it?" Sara inquired.

"Nursing. I want to be a nurse. I talked to Ms. Pillsbury-Howell a couple of weeks ago and she gave me some information on nursing schools in New York. She also said there are a couple of different routes I could take schooling-wise."

"There is. Do you have the information with you?"

Holly handed her mother the folder she'd been carrying.

"It's all in there. I was hoping you could look over it and then help me decide which path is best for me."

"I'd be happy to. Not that I mind, but I thought for sure you'd choose dance."

"I thought about it, and I might still take some dance classes, but I don't have the desire to pursue it professionally like Dominic and Lina do. I'd like to continue to improve, but I can do that without pursuing it professionally."

"That's true. Is this what you've been so apprehensive about for the last couple of weeks?"

"Yes. I wasn't sure how to bring it up, but I knew I needed to talk to you about it before the competition because otherwise I would go crazy and Rachel would kill me."

"Holly, breathe," Sara commanded, knowing by the dramatic turn her daughter's sentence had taken that she was still nervous. "You know your dad and I will support you, no matter what you decide. We just want you to be happy. If you think you will be happy being a nurse, then we'll support you."

"I think I will be. I've been thinking about it for a while and while I'll always kind of wonder what would have happened if I chose dance instead, I'm happy with my decision. Ms. Pillsbury-Howell was a lot of help, too."

"I'll look over this and once we get home, we'll sit down and talk about it some more, okay?"

"Deal," Holly said with a smile.

"Do you and Dominic have any plans tonight?" Nick asked.

"Relaxing. Aunt Shelby has the rest of the trip planned out, so I'm going to take advantage of being able to relax while I can. Aiden and Alec are going to be here tomorrow, too."

"Are Marina and Edmund going to be able to make it?" Sara wondered.

"As far as I know, they are. Aunt Talia would probably know for sure."

"I'll give her a call. You go relax."

"You don't have to tell me twice. 'Night, Mom, 'night, Dad," Holly said before she exited the room, walking back down the hall to the room she shared with Dominic.

* * *

"You never told me how it is you became captain of Vocal Adrenaline as a freshman," Rachel commented as she and Jesse unpacked some of their things.

"Well, the two previous captains had graduated the year before without choosing anyone to replace them. Shelby said it was because they didn't think anyone left on the team could handle it and most of the team had graduated with the previous captains. It was a few weeks after I got in, Shelby was trying to get our attention and most of the team wasn't listening. They didn't respect her yet, which was stupid in my opinion. She's the coach, she clearly knew what she was doing, it's not like she was the coach only because she was the only one that wanted the job. She was and is the coach because she's knowledgeable about show choir and knows what needs to be done to succeed. Anyway, I got tired of listening to everyone bicker amongst each other and ignore Shelby, so I did something about it. In hindsight, I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking, but it ended up working out."

"You aren't sure what you were thinking because you were just a freshman or because you didn't think my Mom would appreciate your efforts?"

"A combination of both. I hoped Shelby would appreciate it, but I wasn't quite sure about her yet, so I really had no clue how she'd react. I was just tired of the squabbling and knew it was counter-productive."

"What did you say to them?"

"Basically what I just told you-that I was tired of the squabbling and it was counter-productive. Also that we needed to listen to Shelby because it was obvious she knew what she was doing and I threw a little guilt in there too by saying we had a reputation to uphold and it would be a shame for all of the hard work from previous and current teammates to basically go to waste."

"Did my Mom make you captain after that?"

"No, not exactly. I knew it was an ambitious goal, but I wanted to be captain. I knew we were supposed to vote on new captains the next week, which we did, so that was another thing I was risking. I could have pissed a lot of people off and then they would have voted for someone else, ruining my chances, but that's not what happened. I was shocked when Shelby announced I was the new captain."

"Didn't you have a co-captain?"

"At the time, yes, there was a female co-captain, but she moved away a few weeks later and we just decided to keep things as they were. Andi, Giselle, and a few others took turns taking the female lead parts, and that seemed to work pretty well. Then you came along and everything just clicked into place-both professionally and personally."

"I've overheard other girls saying they were surprised we've lasted as long as we have and they're waiting for the day we break up because you don't do long-term relationships," Rachel confessed.

"I didn't until I met you. I never wanted to put the effort into a relationship until I met you," Jesse replied as he moved to sit on the bed next to Rachel. "I knew I wanted you and even early on, it was clear that you wouldn't settle for anything less than a committed relationship. It felt right with you, Rach. I promise you that I will do whatever I can to make us work. You know that."

"I know, it's just…sometimes my brain won't let me forget those comments. I've heard others say that high school relationships don't work in the long-run, that the person who leaves for college will forget the other one."

"Is that what you think will happen with us?"

"No! I know being with you is right and we've already made plans to visit each other. We have computers and cell phones so it'll be easier to keep in contact."

"Plus I'm sure you'll want to hear all about your future college," Jesse added.

"That's very true," Rachel agreed. "Maybe not everything, though."

"We'll figure it out. For now, we should concentrate on the competition. Then, when we get back home, you and I will have fun at prom, followed by graduation. I'm sure my grandma will be recruiting you to help with my graduation party. Your dads, too."

"I'm sure Daddy would gladly make you a cake. I'll have to make sure to mention it to your grandma. Is she going to be here, by the way?"

"It sounded like it. She said she or Gen would let me know for sure."

"Well, she does have two grandchildren in this competition, I'm sure she'll make it."

"I hope you're right. It'd be nice to have her here."

Before either teen could say anything else, they both heard the sound of Rachel's stomach grumbling, which caused Jesse to begin laughing.

"I take it that means you're hungry. I guess it has been a while since we ate. Do you think your mom got those delivery menus from the front desk?"

"I'm not sure. I'll ask her and my dads, too," Rachel replied, taking out her cell phone to text her question to her parents.

* * *

"Who are you texting so furiously?" Melina wondered as she divided up the food she and Tasha had ordered.

"Aiden. Apparently he's bored," Tasha responded as she tapped out her response to Aiden's latest text.

"Somehow I doubt that's the only reason he's texting you."

Tasha looked up from her phone to send her friend a confused look.

"What are you talking about?"

Melina sighed as she handed her friend a plate of food.

"I'm talking about the fact that the two of you have barely been out of contact since your little talk in the coffee shop the last time he was home. Obviously something changed."

"Yeah, we learned to get along. Stop pushing the topic of my brother's best friend."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to push. It's just that I don't think you're giving him a fair shot. He's a good guy, Tasha, and he obviously cares about you. I'd hate for you to throw away a chance at finding love because you keep denying your feelings."

"I'll be fine, Lina. I don't have time for a boyfriend right now."

"Whatever you say, Tasha. I do think you should at least thank Aiden for coming here to support you and the rest of the team, even though he only knows a handful of us."

"He does have that going for him-he's always supportive of those he cares about."

"I got that impression during our conversations in New York," Melina said with a smile, happy to see that Tasha was beginning to see Aiden in more of a positive light.

* * *

The next day, after breakfast with the team and rehearsal a short while later, Rachel and Jesse had begun to walk back to their room when they saw two familiar faces.

"Well, Melina and Tasha will be in for a happy surprise when they get out here," Rachel commented.

"Melina  _and_  Tasha?" Jesse repeated, raising an eyebrow at his girlfriend.

"I'm not matchmaking, I swear. I actually think Melina is doing that all on her own and doing a pretty good job of it. Besides, Alec  _is_  Tasha's brother, so she'll be happy to see him at least."

"I'm aware that Alec and Tasha are siblings, but I also know that you think Tasha and Aiden should be together."

"I can't help it if I want everyone to be as happy as we are. Although I do think I may need to talk to Santana and Noah."

"They were acting rather cold towards one another today," Jesse agreed. "I just hope they can continue to put whatever they're feeling aside for the sake of the team and this competition. If they can't, I don't want them out there with us."

"We'll see how our afternoon rehearsal goes, I guess. I think my Mom noticed something was off, too."

"I'm sure she did. Tasha seemed pretty nervous, too."

"I noticed that, but she seemed to feel better as rehearsals went on. I did manage to give her a small pep talk during one of our breaks, too."

"Good. Enough about the team for now, though. I was thinking about taking a nap before our afternoon rehearsal, since Shelby doesn't have a big team lunch planned. I think you could use one, too. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to my co-captain, you know, if she gets too tired to really concentrate."

Rachel laughed as she and Jesse entered their room.

"Is that all I am to you, your co-captain?" she asked as she closed the door.

Jesse grinned at his girlfriend as he pulled her into his arms and then bent his head to brush his lips with hers.

"No. You are also my girlfriend, whom I love very much. I do want to make sure you get enough rest, though. This is our most difficult competition of the year."

"I know," Rachel assured him with a smile. "I think a nap sounds wonderful. We shouldn't sleep for too long, though, since too long of a nap could do more harm than good."

"Whatever you want, Rach," Jesse replied.

"Is lunch included in that promise?"

"I suppose it could be."

"Good. I know just the place to order from."


	65. Chapter 65

**A/N:** For those of you who haven't checked it out yet, I did post on tumblr my casting choices for the OCs from this story. If you go to my tumblr page, just click on "fanfiction stuff" and you'll find the links for them there :)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please review :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee, nor can I take credit for Puck's middle name-I believe it was  **The Fluff Queen**  [her ff . net username] who came up with it (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

* * *

After lunch with the team, Tasha took advantage of the free time Rachel had convinced her mother and Jack to let them have. Walking outside, she was looking for a place to sit when she saw Aiden sitting underneath a nearby tree and began to make her way towards him.

"Where's your partner in crime?" she asked as she approached.

"With his girlfriend," Aiden replied as Tasha took a seat next to him.

"I figured that's who she was texting."

Aiden studied the girl next to him for a few moments before he spoke again.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just needed some air," Tasha replied.

"Being nervous isn't a bad thing."

"I'm not nervous."

"Natasha, look at me."

With a sigh, Tasha did as Aiden requested-turning her head to meet his eyes.

"What's going on inside that head of yours? You know you can talk to me."

"Okay, fine, I'm nervous. I don't know why, though, it's not like I'm singing a solo or anything."

"Maybe not, but I've seen some of the moves you guys pull off. They can't be easy, even for you. Besides, it's a big competition and it involves more people than just you and one other person."

"That doesn't help."

"Sorry. I just mean that there's nothing wrong with being nervous about this. You have friends on this team and from what you've told me, it sounds like you really enjoy Carmel and being in Vocal Adrenaline. You don't want to let them down, I get it. I have no doubt you'll do well and help your team win that trophy."

"Well, I feel decidedly less stupid now….so…thanks."

"Anytime. I'm glad I could help."

Tasha nodded before she asked her next question.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I've never been mean to you…well, not since we were kids and I was just doing what Alec told me to do."

"I mean being willing to sit here and talk to me instead of volunteering to get one of my parents or siblings. Ever since that day in the coffee shop, it's like things are different."

"Is that good or bad?"

"I…don't know. It just…is, I guess."

"Do you want me to go away or something?"

"No. I like talking to you…and it helps keep me from thinking about the competition."

"I'm glad I could help."

* * *

"All right, miss gold star, spill. I know that smile," Jesse said as he approached his girlfriend, who was standing in front of a nearby window. "What's going on?"

Rachel's smile grew as she heard her boyfriend's voice and then pointed to where she could see Aiden and Tasha talking.

"They have no idea how at ease they look with each other. It's kind of cute," she answered.

Jesse looked to where Rachel had pointed and smiled as he nodded in agreement.

"They've known each other a long time. Are you sure that's not it?"

"I think that's part of it. Not all of it, though. They're attracted to each other, but they aren't sure how to bridge the gap between friendship and a relationship, so they're trying to keep it as just a friendship."

"I'm sure they'll figure it out eventually, just like we did."

"I hope so."

"Come on, your dads are looking for you. They wanted a few minutes with you before we start rehearsal again," Jesse told her as he took her hand and began to lead her from the room. "Holly, Dominic, and your aunt and uncle are waiting for you, too."

"Am I in some kind of trouble?"

"No. Your dads were talking with your aunt and uncle when Holly and Dominic came over. I didn't think you'd be playing spy so once I got off the phone with my grandma, I joined the group. When I realized you weren't there, I went looking for you. I was instructed to bring you back."

Tasha groaned as the alarm on her phone went off, signaling that it was time for her to go back inside so the team could leave for their afternoon rehearsal. She was surprised when Aiden stood up beside her.

"Good luck," he told her.

"Um…thanks," Tasha replied, unsure what else to say. "I need to go."

"I'll walk you inside."

"I can walk myself. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"I know that."

"Alec is coming over here anyway. I'll be fine. I'll see you later," Tasha said before she quickly began to walk back inside.

"What was that all about?" Alec asked as he took his sister's now former spot.

"Nothing," Aiden responded.

Alec narrowed his eyes at his best friend.

"You know, I think Melina may be onto something."

"What are you talking about?"

"She said you and Tasha have both been acting weird since you and I went home for spring break. I didn't think anything of it until now, but I think she's right. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Natasha and I were just talking. The twins tend to stick together and you're the only other sibling that is here right now, but she knows you wanted to see Melina, so she went outside. I'm a familiar face, that's all."

"She did seem rather agitated earlier and I guess this means I owe her."

Aiden laughed as he clasped his friend on the shoulder.

"She didn't say anything about it, but most likely. I told my mom I'd bring her back something, so why don't we go hunt down that gift shop. Maybe you can find something for Melina and your sisters, too."

"Good idea."

* * *

When she saw Tasha rejoin the team, Rachel promptly made her way over to the older girl.

"Are you okay? You rushed out of here pretty quickly earlier."

"I just needed some fresh air," Tasha assured her with a smile. "I feel better now."

Rachel returned the other girl's smile before she spoke again.

"Good. I'm glad. Are you ready to kick some show choir butt tomorrow?"

"Definitely," she agreed as her smile turned into a grin.

"Good. We should get going before my Mom scolds us for being late and holding up rehearsal," Rachel replied before she started walking back towards the stage.

Tasha nodded and then went in search of her assigned dance partner so they could begin rehearsal.

* * *

"I am so dead," Tasha mumbled as she flopped down on the bed in the room she and Melina were sharing.

Melina laughed as she took a seat next to her friend, with Holly, Rachel, Santana, and Kurt standing nearby.

"Tell me again what happened? Slower this time, though," she requested.

"Peter and I were talkingg and he asked me if I had a date to the prom yet. I don't like him that way and I didn't want to hurt his feelings, especially considering I have to dance with him tomorrow, so I told him I already have a date. Which I don't."

"What did he say when you told him?" Holly wondered.

"He just said 'oh' and then he asked who it was," Tasha replied. "To which I stupidly replied the first name that popped into my head."

"Which was?" Kurt prompted.

"Aiden."

"You told him were you going to prom with Aiden?" Rachel repeated.

"Yes. Now I either go alone and look like I got dumped by my date or I convince Aiden to go with me. I'm not a fan of either option."

"I'm sure Aiden would go," Melina assured her. "You two seem to have gotten pretty close in the last few months."

"He'll think I like him."

"Don't you?"

"It's just a crush. He's my older brother's best friend. It'll go away."

"Cut the crap, Tasha," Santana put in. "We all know you're in love with him and you'd go out with him if he asked."

"So what if I would?" Tasha countered, sitting up to glare at the younger girl. "It's not like he's ever going to feel that way about me, and even if he did, my stupid, overprotective older brother would never let it happen."

"At least you know you can't get your heart broken, then."

The words Tasha had been about to say died on her lips as she saw the expression on Santana's face.

"Did something happen between you and Puck?"

"We're still together…I think…but he's been really distant lately, he won't talk to me about anything. The answers I do manage to get out of him are short and vague, and if I wasn't in love with the  _atleta estúpido_ , I wouldn't care so damn much. I think something's wrong, but he won't talk to me about any of it. ¡ _Nada!_   _Considérese afortunadas el chico que te gusta incluso habla contigo_."

"I only understood about half of that, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

"What did you say?"

"Forget it."

"No. Tell me. I got stupid athlete, the word nothing, and something about a guy I like and talking, but that's it."

Santana smiled a little before she translated her sentence.

"I said consider yourself lucky that the guy you like even talks to you."

"Sometimes I'm not sure about that. Enough about me, though, I'll deal with it later. What happened between you and Puck?"

"I don't know. It was just like a switch-one day he was fine, we were fine, and then the next…it's like he shut me out."

"When did it start?" Melina wondered.

"Last week. I spent Sunday with my dad and when I saw him at school on Monday, he would barely speak to me. I thought maybe he was in a bad mood, so I just tried to be nice, but still nothing."

As Santana was talking, Kurt noticed that his best friend seemed to be contemplating something-he could tell by the way she was biting her lip and wringing her hands. Classic nervous Rachel Berry signs.

"Rachel, do you know something?" he asked her.

"I do, but I promised Noah I wouldn't tell," Rachel replied.

"Is it something serious?" Melina queried.

"It could be, he isn't sure yet."

"So it has to do with Puck himself?" Santana asked.

"I can't tell you," Rachel repeated. "I'm sorry. I need to talk to Noah first."

"So go talk to him. He should be in our room. You can use my key."

Rachel nodded, taking the key Santana handed her before walking out the door. Once she was gone, Santana turned back to Tasha.

"Distract me. I want to know more about this Aiden guy. Is he the one who came with Alec to Hiram's restaurant on Valentine's Day?"

"Yes, that would be him. He's Alec's best friend. We grew up together."

"So you think he still sees you as a kind of kid sister?"

"Pretty much. He's been acting differently around me since that weekend, though."

"Different…how?" Kurt asked, moving closer to the auburn-haired girl.

"We never talked about anything of significance, but for whatever reason, that day we did," Tasha replied as she began to explain her interactions with Aiden from that point forward.

* * *

Down the hall, Rachel took a deep breath before entering the room Santana and Puck were sharing.

"Hey, Rach," Puck greeted, looking up from the TV show he'd been watching.

"Noah Aaron Puckerman, you need to tell Santana what happened, what's going on. She loves you and cares about you, and she doesn't deserve to be shut out. She's not going to think you're weak, just like I didn't, so you can toss that idea out right this instant. It's not fair for you to ask me to keep this from her. I know you love her, so I don't understand why you won't talk to her. If you don't open up to Santana, you're going to lose her. You're already breaking her heart. I need you to do what you do on game days-put everything aside and concentrate. This competition is important to me, it's important to Jesse and a lot of our other teammates, and I know it's important to you, too. I will  _always_  be there for you, Noah, but you're pushing my limits."

"Jeez, Rach, you didn't have to use my full name," Puck countered. "I was planning on telling Santana everything when we got back to the room tonight, but you and Tasha dragged her away."

"You were?"

"Yeah. If you would let her come back, I'd like to talk to her before it gets too late."

"Sorry."

Puck stood and hugged his long-time friend tightly.

"I know you do it out of love….plus you're scary as hell when you're angry. I'm pretty sure you channeled  _both_  of our mothers right then."

Rachel laughed as she and Puck walked to the door.

"It worked, didn't it?" she asked with a grin.

"It always does," Puck replied, returning her grin with one of his own. "'Night, Rach."

"'Night, Noah."

After giving Puck a quick kiss on his cheek, Rachel went back down the hall to Tasha and Melina's room, eager to see her friends patch things up.

* * *

"Did you get everything settled?" Jesse asked as he saw his girlfriend walk into their room a short while later.

"I think so. Santana went to talk to Noah, and Tasha was talking to Aiden when I left. Everyone else is in their rooms as far as I know. It seems we'll have another person joining us for dinner before prom."

"Aiden, I take it?"

"Yes. I'll tell you about it tomorrow if you really want to know. I'd like to get some sleep, I'm exhausted."

"I set all of your nightly routine stuff out for you when I was finished with mine. I'll wait for you."

Rachel smiled and leaned down to give her boyfriend a quick kiss before heading into the bathroom. When she emerged a few minutes later, she smiled as she spotted Jesse asleep on the bed, his curls falling over his eyes as they always stubbornly did. After taking a few moments to admire her sleeping boyfriend, Rachel double-checked the alarm on her phone before slipping into bed beside Jesse. Within a few minutes, she, too, was asleep, both excited for the next day and eager to get it over with.

* * *

**Translations:**

atleta estúpido = stupid athlete (stupid jock)  
Nada = nothing  
Considérese afortunadas el chico que te gusta incluso habla contigo = consider yourself lucky that the guy you like even talks to you [A/n: I'm not sure this is 100% correct. My knowledge of Spanish isn't great, and I made some changes to the translation provided by Google Translate. If any of you would be willing to be my go-to Spanish translator, let me know-via PM or review.]

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!


	66. Chapter 66

**A/N:** Nationals are finally here! I don't really have anything else to say except I hope you enjoy and please review (and the names of the songs performed will be at the bottom as usual) :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

The next day, as Vocal Adrenaline waited for their turn to perform, Rachel turned to her mother with a questioning look in her eyes.

"You will be great and every single one of your teammates will be great as well, just like you all were in rehearsals," Shelby told her as she hugged her tightly. "Jack and I have faith in you, and so do all of your supporters out there."

"There are quite a lot of them," Rachel replied with a smile as she stepped out of her mother's embrace.

"I'm pretty sure we set a record," Jack added with a laugh from the other side of Shelby.

"Actually, I think you're right," Shelby agreed. "Maybe we should start counting them."

Before Jack or Rachel had a chance to respond, the team was given their cue to start making their way out onto the stage. After making sure everyone was accounted for, Shelby reached for Jack's hand and held it tightly.

"Are you nervous, too?" he wondered as he laced their fingers together.

"A little. This is their biggest competition yet and we have a lot of new members."

"They've been working towards this all year, I think they all want it for themselves as much as we want it for them."

"I guess we'll find out."

* * *

Taking his place on stage next to his girlfriend, Jesse quickly glanced around at his other teammates. He briefly caught Blaine's eye and received an encouraging smile from him. He saw Kurt smile, too, and he had a feeling that one was directed at Rachel. Reaching over, he gave Rachel's hand a quick squeeze before getting ready to begin their first song, taking turns on the vocals with Blaine, Puck, and Chris.

**As He Came Into The Window**  
It Was The Sound Of A Crescendo  
He Came Into Her Apartment  
He Left The Bloodstains On The Carpet  
She Ran Underneath The Table  
He Could See She Was Unable  
So She Ran Into The Bedroom  
She Was Struck Down, It Was Her Doom

Annie Are You OK  
So, Annie Are You OK  
Are You OK, Annie  
Annie Are You OK  
So, Annie Are You OK  
Are You OK, Annie  
Annie Are You OK  
So, Annie Are You OK  
Are You OK, Annie  
Annie Are You OK  
So, Annie Are You OK,  
Are You OK, Annie

* * *

As the first song ended, Jesse and Rachel moved to the front of the stage to begin their duet.

**Tired of injustice**  
Tired of the schemes  
The lies are disgusting  
So what does it mean  
Kicking me down  
I got to get up  
As jacked as it sounds  
The whole system sucks

_Peek in the shadow_  
Come into the light  
You tell me I'm wrong  
Then you better prove you're right  
You're sellin' out souls but  
I care about mine  
I've got to get stronger  
And I won't give up the fight

**With such confusions don't it make you wanna scream  
Your bash abusin' victimize within the scheme**

_You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize_

* * *

After the second song ended, Jesse stepped back to join the rest of the team while Santana, Andrea, and Giselle stepped forward to join Rachel at the front.

_With music by our side_  
To break the color lines  
Let's work together  
To improve our way of life  
Join voices in protest  
To social injustice  
A generation full of courage  
Come forth with me  
People of the world today  
Are we looking for a better way of life  
We are a part of the rhythm nation  
People of the world unite  
Strength in numbers we can get it right  
One time  
We are a part of the rhythm nation

* * *

Once they had finished their third song and the curtain drew to a close, Vocal Adrenaline joined their coaches backstage as they awaited the results of the competition thus far. The fifty teams in attendance would be narrowed down to a top ten. From there, the top ten teams would each perform one final number.

"Rachel, stop pacing," Holly complained a short while later as she eyed her cousin warily. "You're making me dizzy. Plus, they'd be crazy not to place us at least in the top ten after those performances."

"I'm nervous…and I pace when I'm nervous," Rachel retorted. "You should be well aware of this fact by now, cousin of mine."

"Oh, I am. I just don't have the energy to stop you right now, so I'm going to sit here and complain instead."

Rachel sent her cousin an annoyed look before she huffed out a breath and plopped down on another couch between Jesse and Puck.

"Is this better?" she asked her cousin a few moments later.

"Much," Holly replied with a satisfied smile, eliciting chuckles of amusement from the rest of the team.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" Tasha wondered, directing her question to the members of the team who had been through this before.

"Hopefully not too much," Jesse replied, glancing at his watch. "It only took them about an hour or so last year."

"Shelby said she'd let me know when the list goes up," Jack added from his spot in a nearby chair. "If she had a way to listen in on what the judges are saying, I have no doubt that she'd do it."

"I second that," Jesse opined, with nods of agreement from both Holly and Rachel.

"I'd kind of like to know myself," Santana added from her spot on the other side of Puck.

"Can we talk about something else?" Rachel requested. "I'm going to go crazy if I keep going through the different scenarios in my head."

"Aiden found an apartment," Tasha said, blurting out the first thing that came to her mind.

"Who's Aiden?" Giselle and Andrea asked simultaneously.

"Tasha's prom date," Tatiana supplied.

"He's also our older brother's best friend," Dmitry added. "We've all known each other since we were little."

"Hiram offered him a position at his restaurant, since he wants to be a chef and possibly open his own restaurant someday as well," Melina explained. "He's been trying to find a place ever since he decided to move back to Ohio."

"So what does it matter if he found a place here or not?" Andrea wondered.

"It doesn't," Tasha replied. "It's just the first thing that came to my mind since he's the last one I talked to."

"So you two finalized your prom plans, then?" Kurt inquired.

"For the most part. I haven't found a dress yet, but I'm hoping to do that in the next week or so."

"Do you know what color you want?"

"I have no idea."

"I don't, either," Rachel admitted. "I was thinking about organizing another shopping trip and we'll bring Tatiana with as a second opinion. I'm going to invite Marina, too, but I don't know if she'll be able to make it or not."

"Either way, she'll want to see what Tasha ends up picking," Tatiana reminded her.

As the girls and Kurt continued to talk about prom dresses and prom ideas, the rest of the team made their own small groups nearby, taking a cue from their female lead and finding a distraction for themselves.

* * *

In what seemed like no time at all, Shelby had returned to the room with a piece of paper in her hand.

"Those are the results, aren't they?" Rachel asked.

"They are," Shelby confirmed before smiling at her team. "Congratulations on your success so far, we've made the top ten. In fact, we placed first so far."

"We did?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Rach," Jesse told her with a laugh. "We're usually at least in the top five by this point."

"Says the one who has done this for four years now. This is my first year. Be nice."

"So, when do we perform again?" Holly wondered.

"That's up to you," Shelby replied. "As last year's champions, we get the choice of where in the lineup we would like to perform."

"Last," Jesse and Rachel decided simultaneously.

"Of course they'd speak in unison," Holly muttered, eliciting a laugh from Dominic as he squeezed her shoulders.

"Well, what do the rest of you think?" Shelby asked, looking around at the team and her fiancé.

"Rachel and Jesse are our captains, I think we should trust their judgment," Tasha replied.

"I agree," Santana added as various other members of the team nodded their heads in agreement.

"Okay, I'll go let them know."

* * *

"For a top ten, some of these teams have put together some rather lack-luster final performances," Aiden opined from his seat between Alec and Hiram.

"I agree," Hiram told him. "Some seem to be a little under-rehearsed, too."

"Shelby would never let that happen to Vocal Adrenaline," Leroy added. "Even if this was their first go at this. Nothing would appear sloppy or out of place."

"So Natasha and Melina weren't kidding when they said they could do these numbers in their sleep," Aiden commented.

"No, they weren't," Alec replied. "Mel said Shelby is hard on them, but she's also fair and she knows when they need a break or to temporarily move on. I guess that comes with doing this for so many years."

"Probably."

"Vocal Adrenaline is up next. Rachel and Shelby wouldn't tell us what the final number was, so we'll be as surprised as the rest of the audience," Hiram informed them as the team that had just finished performing began to make their way off of the stage.

* * *

Taking her place on stage with her team, Rachel listened carefully for her cue before beginning her part of the song. She was glad that she and Jesse had decided to split the song's solo parts amongst themselves and their selected backups, but also sad that she wouldn't get to sing another duet on stage with Jesse for a while. There was always the stage at home, but it wasn't quite the same. After shaking her head to quickly clear her thoughts, she put all of her energy into the final number, hoping it was enough to convince the judges to declare Vocal Adrenaline the National champions once again.

_Remember_  
Remember  
Remember (Uh-huh...)  
Remember  
Remember  
Remember  
Remember  
Baby look at me and tell me what you see,  
You ain't seen the best of me yet,  
Give me time, I'll make you forget the rest,  
I got more to me, and you can set it free,  
I can catch the moon in my hand,  
Don't you know who I am?

* * *

Once Vocal Adrenaline had finished their final number, Shelby was pleasantly surprised to see that they were receiving a standing ovation. When she glanced over at Jack and saw that he was surprised as well, she could no longer hide her smile.

"I'm glad you were here with me this year," she told him softly.

"I'm glad you let me be here," Jack returned before grinning at her as he asked his question. "So, does this mean you're going to recommend to Principal Hawthorne that I should stay on as assistant coach?"

"I guess I'm going to have to now," Shelby replied, returning his grin.

"What are you grinning about?" Rachel wondered as she and the rest of the team joined their coaches a few moments later.

"Jack and I were just discussing plans for next year."

"You aren't leaving, are you?" Jesse asked, directing his question to Jack.

"No. I'm happy with the way things have turned out this year. I think I'll keep them this way," Jack replied.

"Good."

Jack smiled and nodded in agreement before he and Jesse began to discuss how they thought the competition had gone compared to other years. Since he hadn't been here in prior years, he was curious to hear the younger man's opinion.

* * *

As the top ten teams took their places on stage, the group of Vocal Adrenaline supporters in the audience waited just as impatiently as the team themselves.

"If they don't win, I'm officially declaring these judges crazy," Leroy decided as he gripped his husband's hand tightly and saw both Aiden and Alec nod their heads in agreement.

"What do you think, Hiram?" Genevieve asked from her seat behind him.

"I honestly don't know," he replied. "The judges change every year, so we don't really know what to expect. Shelby did say that they are all qualified to judge the competition, though, whatever that means."

"They've all worked so hard for this," Jacqueline added from her seat beside her granddaughter. "I'd hate to see them lose it now."

"I guess we're about to find out," Alec told them. "They're about to announce first place. It's either Vocal Adrenaline or some team from California."

* * *

Unconsciously holding her breath, Rachel watched as the announcer took the piece of paper out of the final envelope and read the results out loud.

"The winners of the 2010 Show Choir National Championships is….the current reigning champions…Vocal Adrenaline!"

Moments after the results were announced, Jack and Shelby stepped forward to accept the trophy while the rest of the team exchanged hugs and high-fives.

"We did it," Rachel shouted excitedly as she hugged Jesse tightly.

"I don't know if I could have done it without you," he replied as he returned her hug.

"I'm sure you could have, but it's better because we did it together."

"It certainly is," Jesse agreed, leaning down to give his girlfriend a quick kiss.

* * *

When she reached the lobby, Rachel quickly spotted her dads and made her way over to them as fast as she could.

"Congratulations," Hiram said with a wide smile as he hugged first Rachel, then Jesse.

"What did you think of the final number?" Jesse wondered.

"We thought it was brilliant," Leroy replied as he took his turn hugging the teens.

"Have you seen my grandma and sister?"

"We're right here," Genevieve said from behind him before Leroy could answer. "Good job, little brother. I'm proud of you."

Jesse smiled as he and Rachel both received hugs from Genevieve and Jacqueline, unsure what to say to that. He was still adjusting to having such a strong familial support system, which caused him to be uncharacteristically at a loss for words sometimes.

"Blaine should be here soon," Rachel informed her boyfriend's grandmother. "He and Kurt were going to find Burt first."

* * *

"Alec!"

At the sound of his girlfriend calling his name, Alec turned around to see Melina and Tasha walking towards him.

"Congratulations," he said as he hugged her.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile. "So, what did you think of the competition?"

"Aiden, Leroy and I all agreed that if your team didn't win, we were going to declare the judges insane."

"That sounds like something Leroy would say," Tasha agreed.

"Are you okay?"

"Just tired. I could use a nap. Shelby gave us strict instructions not to go anywhere alone, though, and I know you and Lina wanted to spend some time together."

"I'll walk back with you," Aiden volunteered before turning to his best friend. "I'll see you back in the room."

Alec nodded, hugging his sister quickly before watching her walk away with Aiden and then turning back to his girlfriend.

"I have a surprise for you," he told her, taking her hand in his and beginning to walk with her.

"What is it?"

"You'll see. Now, close your eyes."

Doing as Alec commanded, Melina closed her eyes and let him continue to lead her towards her surprise.

* * *

"Are you really tired, or did you just say that so Melina wouldn't feel guilty about wanting to spend time alone with Alec?" Aiden wondered.

"I really am tired, but I also knew she wanted to spend time with him. Thank you for walking back with me, by the way."

"No problem. I kind of figured the love birds would like some time to themselves, so I'll just hang out in the room for a while."

"Isn't that what you've been doing pretty much all weekend?"

"Basically. I did get a chance to chat with Hiram some more, though."

"When do you start at the restaurant?"

"End of May. I promised Alec I'd stay and help him move his stuff to the new place."

"That was nice of you."

Aiden shrugged before he spoke again.

"He's my best friend," he said simply.

"Yeah, I know," Tasha muttered.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Forget I said anything."

"You obviously meant something by it. You know you can tell me and I won't say anything to Alec if you don't want me to."

"I just…wonder sometimes…if things would be different if you weren't my brother's best friend."

"That doesn't really clear things up."

"It wasn't supposed to," Tasha told him before stopping in front of the room she shared with Melina and unlocking the door. "Like I said, it's nothing. Thanks again for walking back with me."

"I guess I'll see you later, then?"

Tasha nodded in agreement as she entered the room.

"I'll see you later," she said before closing the door.

* * *

Songs:

1\. Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson

2\. Scream by Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson

3\. Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson

4\. Fame by Naturi Naughton (originally sung by Irene Cara)


	67. Chapter 67

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee or Prime Thyme (which, if you remember, is a real place)

* * *

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Melina asked her boyfriend as she felt them come to a stop a short distance from where they had been talking with Tasha and Aiden.

"Go ahead," Alec replied.

Opening her eyes, Melina was surprised to see her father standing in front of her, grinning conspiratorially with her boyfriend.

"Dad!" she exclaimed as she rushed forward to hug her father tightly. "I thought you said you couldn't make it?"

"I was able to get things switched around so I could be here for the day. I need to get to the airport soon, but I wanted to see you perform. I asked Alec to help me surprise you."

"What did you think?"

"I thought your team's win was very much deserved and you seem happier than you were just a few months ago."

"I am. I love it here. I miss seeing you all the time, but I've made some really good friends this year and it's been nice to spend my senior year with my brother."

"I'm just glad it all worked out. I found an apartment in Akron, so you will be able to see me more often."

"I'm going to go see Tatiana and Dmitry, I'll be back in a few," Alec told his girlfriend, bending to press a kiss to her cheek before walking over to his younger siblings.

"So, how are things between you and Alec?"

"They're as good as they can be when we're hundreds of miles apart."

"He'll be home for the summer in a few weeks, won't he?"

"Yes, and then we'll be living with Jesse and Dominic in the fall."

"I'm sure you two will make it work."

"I hope so. Are you going to be in town for prom?"

"I'll be in town until after your graduation."

"Will Kelly and Patrick be there?"

"I don't think so, I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"How are they doing?"

"They're having a hard time dealing with the divorce but they'll pull through. They're looking forward to summer vacation. I've been instructed to tell them how your competition went and Kelly wants pictures of your prom dress. I told her I would pass the message on to you."

Melina smiled at the updates on her younger siblings, she was glad they seemed to be doing okay.

"I'll do that. How much longer do you have? I want you to meet Alec's parents."

"I have a few minutes," Stefan replied before following his daughter over to where her boyfriend stood with his family.

* * *

"You seem happy," Tasha commented as Melina returned to their room later that afternoon.

"I am," Melina replied. "You don't seem to be, though."

"I'm fine. I swear. I just needed a nap."

"You and Aiden seem to be pretty chummy lately."

Tasha groaned before picking up a pillow and throwing it at her friend.

"I don't want to talk about him. There's nothing going on between us."

"You're going to prom together. I think you subconsciously wanted to go with him and that's why his name was the one you blurted out when Peter asked you about the dance."

"I think your psychology class is affecting the way you think."

Melina threw the pillow back at Tasha before she spoke again.

"There is absolutely  _nothing_  wrong with liking Aiden. You aren't children anymore and no matter what you try to tell yourself, Alec  _will_  be happy for you. You are his sister; he wants you to be happy. If that's with Aiden, then so be it. You're allowed to be happy, Tasha."

"I  _am_  happy. I want to concentrate on getting into a good school next year; I don't need a boy around to complicate things."

"What about Rachel and Jesse? Do they complicate each other's lives?"

"They're too much in sync to complicate each other's lives. They want the same life. So do Holly and Dominic, and you and Alec. I'm perfectly content with staying in Akron; I don't have big New York City dreams like you and the others."

"Were you not aware that Aiden is moving back to Akron? That's where he wants to be. I think at least part of the draw is that you're there. He's also getting a fabulous opportunity to intern with Hiram at  _Prime Thyme_."

"Yeah, he almost turned it down, too."

"He's a boy. They don't always make the best decisions."

"He's stubborn and has a hard time accepting help. I'm done discussing him. It's not going to happen."

Melina rolled her eyes but agreed to change the subject, moving on to the topic of places to look for prom dresses.

* * *

"So, how does it feel to be a National Champion?" Jesse asked as he and Rachel returned to their room.

"Amazing! I just hope Blaine and I can continue the legacy next year."

"I have no doubt you will. I'll be at every show, every competition."

"You don't have to come home for the Invitational."

"I'm pretty sure it's going to be during one of my long weekends so you can bet I'll be there."

"How do you know that already?"

"I happen to know the coach," Jesse replied with a grin.

Rachel laughed as she rolled her eyes at her boyfriend.

"Whatever you say, Jess."

In response, Jesse simply laughed before he changed the subject.

"So, when is your aunt planning on breaking the news about France to Holly?"

"I think tomorrow when we get home. I'm looking forward to seeing her reaction."

"Why is that?"

"She's going to freak out. She's been talking about France since we were little."

"I thought she had been there before?"

"Yeah, when she was really young. This time she's fluent in French and is old enough to remember and enjoy it. Plus she will now be able to spend more time with Dominic before he leaves for Juilliard, so that will just add to her excitement."

"Good point. Maybe your Daddy should have a family dinner again and then we can all see her reaction."

"That's not a bad idea, actually," Rachel admitted as she took out her cell phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling Daddy."

"Aren't we having dinner with them later?"

"Yes, but Holly will be there, too. I can't talk to them about it with her around- it might make her suspect something. I don't want the surprise to be ruined."

"As long as there's bean salad involved, I'm game."

Rachel laughed as she waited for her father to pick up the phone.

"I'll make sure to tell him that."

* * *

After returning home from Nationals, Holly sighed as she unpacked her bag. She wanted to relax but she also knew she needed to go to the family dinner her aunt and uncles were having tonight. She had no idea why they insisted on having it tonight, but she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to eat her Uncle Hiram's cooking. Plus Rachel would never let her hear the end of it if she didn't show up.

"You still haven't unpacked?" a voice asked a few moments later.

Holly's head shot up as she recognized the voice as belonging to her boyfriend.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"I was invited to your family dinner. Apparently I'm part of your family now."

"The promise ring pretty much sealed your fate. I'm afraid you're stuck with me and my crazy family."

Dominic laughed as he hugged her, leaning down to steal a kiss before he spoke again.

"Considering my family isn't exactly normal, either, I think I can handle that….as long as I have you, that is."

"I'm pretty sure you always have," Holly admitted softly.

"What was that?"

Holly sighed before she repeated her earlier words, speaking more clearly this time.

"I said, I'm pretty sure you always have. Just like Rachel and Jesse have always been each other's."

"Well, it's nice to know the feeling is mutual."

For the second time in just a few minutes, Holly's head shot up.

"What?"

"Did you not know that I was attracted to you from the moment I saw you and then when you opened your mouth and basically called me a stalker, that was it."

Holly laughed as she remembered that conversation.

"I remember talking to Aunt Shelby about you later that day. She told me I had to learn to deal with you."

"Well, you did what she told you to do."

"That's true. I'll have to remember that the next time she says I never do what she tells me to."

"I have no doubt that you will," Dominic assured her. "Now finish unpacking so we can go. Your parents already left with Liam."

Holly smiled and nodded, quickly finishing her task before taking Dominic's hand and leading him outside to his car.

"Can I drive?" she asked with a grin.

"No," Dominic replied, returning her grin with one of his own at the familiar game.

* * *

After dinner, Holly was surprised when her uncle placed a small cake on the table along with a  _galette bretonne_. Looking over at her cousin, she wasn't surprised to be met with a straight face.

"I asked Hiram to make it for you," Sara revealed, gaining her daughter's attention. "You have worked hard this year, so your dad, Liam, and I thought you deserved something special."

"Do you like it?" Nick queried.

"I haven't tasted it yet, but it looks good," Holly replied.

"Try it," Hiram encouraged, placing a slice on a plate and setting it in front of his niece.

"I think you should add it to the menu at your restaurant," Holly declared a few moments later, eliciting laughter from the rest of the group.

"I'll think about it," Hiram told her.

"Well, that's better than a no."

"Maybe your dad can talk a chef in France to giving me a few recipes."

Holly sent her uncle a confused look before she spoke again.

"Don't you mean Dominic? He's the one going to France, not my dad."

"No. I meant your dad. I suppose you could, too, since you're both fluent in French."

Looking around at the various family members gathered at the table, she zeroed in on her mother and aunt when she saw them exchange a look.

"Okay, what's going on?" She demanded. "Obviously the rest of you know something I don't."

"Rachel, would you like to do the honors?" Shelby asked her daughter.

"Sure," she responded with a smile, walking over to the counter to get a folder before once again taking her seat between Jesse and Holly.

"What does this have to do with whatever everyone has been keeping from me?" Holly demanded.

"Read this," Rachel instructed, handing the piece of paper to her cousin.

"It's a trip itinerary."

"Keep reading."

Holly sighed, but did as her cousin requested. She didn't want to read all about Dominic's trip, but she knew her family was up to something so she complied.

"You and Jack are honeymooning in France?" she asked her aunt.

"We've decided to combine our honeymoon with our yearly family vacation. We wanted our families with us; it just wouldn't be the same without all of you. Plus we need translators, since neither of us speaks French," Shelby replied.

Holly flipped the page to read the names listed on the itinerary. When she saw her name, she did a double take. Lifting her head, she turned to her parents.

"We're going to France?" she asked as calmly as she could manage.

Sara smiled at her daughter as she nodded.

"Yes. We're going to France. Dominic's mom and Jack's sister helped us arrange everything."

In response to her mother's words, Holly let out a very Rachel-esque squeal of excitement before practically running around the table to hug her parents.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she kept saying.

"You're very welcome," Nick told her. "We're proud of the progress you've made, honey."

After hugging her parents once more, and then her aunt and uncles, Holly proceeded to hug her boyfriend tightly.

"I told you not to worry about being apart this summer," he teased.

"I can't believe you kept this from me."

"I was sworn to secrecy."

"I'll forgive you because I'm too happy to be mad. France! Together!"

Dominic grinned at her, finding her excitement contagious. Soon afterward, plans for the trip began flying across the table, as everyone else seemed to find Holly's excitement just as infectious as he did.

* * *

The following weekend, Tatiana was sitting in her room, attempting to ignore all the talk of prom dress shopping talk going on downstairs, when she saw Tasha walk into the room.

"Why are you still in your pajamas?" she asked.

"Because I don't have any plans today."

"Yes, you do. We're going prom dress shopping."

"We are?"

"Yes, now get your butt in gear or we'll leave without you. Kurt insists he needs you for a second opinion, plus I want you there."

"Give me five minutes," Tatiana replied, putting down her book and then shooing her sister out of the room so she could get ready.

* * *

_Galette bretonne_ is basically a type of French dessert. I just Googled it to find more information it. The definition isn't exact so I can't really copy and paste it without it being long and complicated, at least to me.


	68. Chapter 68

**A/N:**   I have posted pictures of the dresses for each girl, and updated family trees on my tumblr.  Click on "fanfiction stuff" and you'll find the links to each item there.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee

* * *

When they arrived at the first store, Kurt and Tatiana immediately went to work looking through the dresses.

"So, whose dress is going to be found first?" Tasha wondered.

"Rachel's," Santana decided.

"I second that," Holly added.

"Why mine?" Rachel wondered.

"Because you want the typical prom dress-a ballgown with lots of sparkles," Santana answered.

"Good point," Rachel admitted, eliciting laughter from the other girls, before turning to her newest friend. "What type of dress are you looking for, Tasha?"

"I'm not really sure," Tasha lied. "I wasn't planning on making a big deal out of it. It wasn't like I had a date or anything."

"You do now, though."

"He's only going with me because I'm his best friend's little sister and he feels bad for me."

"I don't think that's the reason."

"You don't know him like I do."

"I've known Aiden about as long as you have," Holly pointed out. "He wouldn't do this just for Alec or because he feels bad for you. He's doing it because you're friends and you asked him to. He wouldn't let you be in a situation where it looked like your date stood you up."

"That's true," Tasha admitted with a sigh.

"You also need to stop lying about not knowing what kind of dress you want. You always told me that you wanted to feel like a princess. You're going to be treated like one, so you should look the part."

"I agree with Holly," Melina put in. "We're all going to this dance together and we're all going to have fun. If you want to feel like a princess in your dress, then that's what we'll help you achieve."

"I hate to interrupt the love fest," Kurt said as he walked over to the group with Tatiana at his side, "but I believe we've found the first dress."

After Kurt had finished speaking, the five girls turned to the youngest member of their group, who was currently holding up a strapless teal-colored dress with a wide jeweled band around the waist.

"Who's that for?" Tasha wondered.

"Holly," Tatiana answered. "I know you prefer things to be simple and less of a fuss, but Kurt and I agreed that it's still a very pretty dress fitting for the prom."

"You should try it on," Rachel encouraged her cousin.

"Sure, why not," Holly agreed, taking the dress from Tatiana and then walking to the dressing room.

* * *

After Holly had tried on and decided to purchase her dress, Kurt pulled Santana over the spot where he was sure he had seen her dress.

"What do you think?" he asked, holding up a strapless red dress with a sweetheart neckline and an asymmetrical side drape.

"I think I should try it on," Santana replied, taking the dress from her friend and walking back towards the dressing rooms.

"That was fast," Rachel commented as she approached.

"She'll look great in red and I noticed she kept getting annoyed with the long dress she wore to the winter formal, so I tried to find one with a shorter length."

"I think you succeeded, especially if she went to try it on that quickly."

"If I did, that makes two out of three of the picky ones taken care of."

"Who's the third one?"

"Tasha. Tatiana assures me she'll know the dress when she sees it, but I'd like to know what she's looking for, too."

"She wants to feel like a princess is all I know," Rachel told him with a shrug. "I'm sure Tatiana knows her sister well enough for her statement to be true, though."

"Me, too. Tasha's my friend, too, though, so I'd like to help if I can."

"Even if you don't find her dress, I'm sure she'll want your approval. You  _are_  our fashion guru, after all."

"That's very true," Kurt agreed with a grin, looping his arm through hers as they began to walk back towards the rest of their friends.

* * *

Shortly after they began looking around the second store, Rachel approached Kurt with a dress she had found for herself.

"What do you think of this one?" she asked.

Turning at the sound of her voice, Kurt looked at the dress and couldn't help but smile. The dress was very Rachel Berry-esque. It was a strapless purple ballgown with rhinestones and beading on the bodice and part of the way down the skirt of the dress with a wide sash of a darker purple around the waist.

"I approve," he told her. "I think your Mom would approve of the color."

Rachel laughed as she nodded in agreement.

"That's kind of what made me choose this color. They had a similar one in black, but I wanted something brighter. Purple always looks flattering on my Mom and we have similar coloring, so I figured it could work for me, too."

"There's only one way to find out. Come on, let's get the others and then you can show everyone."

"They should all be there, anyway," Rachel revealed as she and Kurt walked towards the dressing rooms. "Melina found a dress, too. She was really unsure about it, but Tasha and Holly convinced her to try it on."

"Why was she unsure about it?"

"It's not her typical style, but she really liked the color."

"She knows what colors work for her, and it would definitely surprise Alec if she wore something different from her normal style, from what he's probably expecting. I'm sure it'll work out just fine."

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Melina asked as she walked out of the dressing room and did a quick twirl for her friends.

"The pink definitely suits you," Tasha began.

Melina studied herself in the mirror, running her hands over the skirt of the strapless pink dress. It had an a-line silhouette with a wide band of beads around the waist.

"I think it's perfect," Kurt announced as he walked up beside her. "You'd also surprise a lot of people with this choice, your boyfriend included."

Melina laughed a little as she nodded in agreement.

"I surprised myself with this choice. It's gorgeous, though."

"It really is. If you like it and you're comfortable in it then I'd say this is the one you should get."

"Okay, I'm going to get it before I talk myself out of it."

"That's the spirit," Kurt told her with a smile, giving her a quick hug before she returned to the dressing room to change back into her normal clothes.

* * *

After both Rachel and Melina had purchased their dresses, the only one who had yet to find a dress was Tasha. While Kurt and the others looked in the third store for dresses they thought she might like, Rachel approached her cautiously.

"Are you okay?" she wondered. "You seemed kind of down today."

"Can I tell you something and you won't tell any of the others, not even Holly?"

"I promise. Unless it's life-threatening…then I can't make that promise."

Tasha smiled a little at Rachel's response before she gave the younger girl one of her own.

"It's not life-threatening. It's just something that's been on my mind."

"What is it?"

"I was kind of hoping I wouldn't find a dress so I would have an excuse not to go."

"Why wouldn't you want to go?"

"Well, at first it was because I knew I'd be the odd one out. I'm the only one out of those going that doesn't have a significant other. I know you all try to include me in everything, but it's still kind of depressing sometimes."

"We all agreed to go as a group to this. Santana and I technically have to go as Noah's and Jesse's dates because the only way we can attend is if we get asked by a junior or senior."

"I know, and I understand that, I just feel like it'd be easier on everyone if I didn't go."

"We wouldn't be able to enjoy ourselves as much if you weren't there with us," Rachel told her. "At least I know I wouldn't, and neither would Holly or Melina. You're a part of our crazy group whether you like it or not."

Tasha smiled a little at the other girl's words before she spoke again.

"I'm also nervous about what's going to happen with Aiden."

"What do you mean?"

"I suppose it's about time I admitted this out loud," she said with a sigh. "I like Aiden. I had a crush on him when I was younger, but I thought I had gotten over it. Then we started talking and we've gotten closer…and it's like those feelings came back, but stronger this time. I think about what it might be like if he asked me out, if he told me he felt the same, but then I remember he's off-limits because he's my brother's best friend."

"Why does that make him off-limits? Alec is dating one of your best friends."

"He's supposed to be like a brother to me-like he is to Tatiana and Marina. But I don't see him that way anymore."

"There's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with being friends first. Jesse and I were friends first. Admittedly not for very long, but still. I wouldn't take back that time for anything. You and Aiden seem to have a lot in common, which is very important. It's easy for you to talk to him, right?"

"Yeah. He just gets me, which is another thing that throws me off and makes me nervous."

"Let yourself have fun, Tasha. We're all going as friends. Aiden wouldn't have agreed to go if he didn't want to. He's kind of been adopted into our group, too, if you hadn't noticed."

"Oh, I did, I was just trying to make myself forget it."

Rachel smiled at the older girl and then leaned over to give her a hug.

"Let yourself be happy, Tasha. Go for what you want and don't let anyone stand in your way. Keep getting to know Aiden and see where things go. I have a feeling you won't be disappointed."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tasha replied, returning the younger girl's smile. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"Any time. Now, let's find you that princess dress, shall we?"

* * *

"Tasha, get out here," Tatiana commanded her sister as she waited with the others to see what dress she had picked out.

"Stop being so impatient," Tasha retorted as she stepped out of the dressing room wearing a light blue dress with beading on the straps and around the waist.

"It's perfect, right?" Rachel asked Kurt excitedly.

"It is," Kurt confirmed.

"There's one other person's opinion I want," Tasha revealed.

"Marina?" Melina guessed as she watched Tatiana take a picture.

"Yes. I told her I'd send her a picture of the dress I chose since she couldn't go shopping with us this time."

"Mari approves," Tatiana said a few moments later.

"Good….because I'm starving. I don't think I can shop any more without eating something first."

"I second that," Santana added as Tasha walked back to the dressing room, eliciting laughter from the rest of the group.

* * *

When she returned home from her shopping trip, Rachel immediately went in search of her mother. As she suspected, she found her in the music room.

"Hi," Rachel greeted as she walked into the room.

"Hi, baby," Shelby replied with a smile. "How did your shopping excursion go?"

"We all found what we were looking for, so I'd say it went really well. Did anything exciting happen here today?"

"No, not really. I think Blaine and Jesse are planning something for prom, but other than that, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Those two planning something isn't really out of the ordinary, either."

"That's true," Shelby admitted with a laugh.

"Do we have time to sing something before dinner?"

"I think we can make time. Besides, I'm sure your dads would be willing to wait for dinner in order to let you sing."

* * *

After dinner with Rachel and her parents, Jesse quickly made his way downstairs to finish preparing for the movie night he had planned. With everything that had been going on in the last few weeks, he and Rachel hadn't really had much time to relax together so he was hoping she enjoyed what he had planned. When he heard her walk into the room a few minutes later, he looked up and smiled at her.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she returned with a smile. "You really did plan this all out, didn't you?"

"I did. I wanted to have a night to ourselves. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't. I think it's sweet that you took the time to plan all of this."

"Only the best for you, Rach."

Rachel smiled as she watched Jesse put the chosen movie musical into the DVD player.

"Did you find a dress?" he inquired as they settled onto the couch together.

"We all did. Even Tasha, who was secretly hoping she wouldn't."

"Does she really not want to go?"

"She's just nervous. I'm actually looking forward to spending time with our friends more than the dance itself. I hope Aiden can get her to loosen up and have fun with the rest of us."

"Somehow I don't think that will be a problem. Since we're on the subject of prom, I wanted to run an idea past you, too."

"Is this strictly your idea or was Blaine involved, too?"

"It was my sister's, actually. Blaine and I both liked it, though."

"All right, I'll bite. What is it?"

Leaning closer, Jesse filled her in on the idea and the resulting plan to execute it.

"I think it's brilliant," Rachel decided.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

* * *

The day of prom, Tasha woke up to the sound of knocking at her bedroom door. Glancing at the clock, she groaned when she realized that she had been woken up before her alarm. With a sigh, she stood and walked to the door, opening it to reveal her younger sister.

"Ana, it's early. What's going on?"

"You got flowers," she replied excitedly, holding out the bouquet to her older sister.

"What? Why?"

"I don't know why, but I know who they're from."

"Please don't tell me Peter."

"Nope-even better…Aiden."

"How is that better?"

"Stop being so grumpy! You got flowers, Tasha!"

"You are way too awake for this early in the morning. How do you know they're from Aiden?"

"Because it says "To: Natasha" on the card."

Taking the card out, Tasha read it and then sighed before she spoke.

"Will you find me a vase?"

"I'll go ask Mama for one," Tatiana agreed with a grin before turning and walking back down the hall towards the steps.

"What are you up to, Aiden?" Tasha wondered to herself as she walked back into her room, setting the flowers on her desk before picking up her phone and quickly dialing Melina's number.

* * *

"Your plan seems to be working," Rachel told her boyfriend as she joined him and the rest of their family in the kitchen for breakfast.

"What plan is that?" Shelby wondered.

"Blaine and I came up with a plan to spoil our dates throughout the day. Aiden, Alec, Dominic, and Puck agreed to go along with it, too."

"I'm the only one who actually knows about it, because he ran the idea past me first," Rachel added.

"I take it the first present of the day was flowers?" Hiram guessed, indicating the new bouquet of flowers that were sitting in a vase on the kitchen counter.

"Yes."

"So, what else do you have planned?" Jack inquired.

With wide smiles, Rachel and Jesse filled the four adults in on the plan for the day and the different presents that would be given, along with the final surprise they had planned for their friends.

* * *

When she walked into the basement of her aunt's house, Holly was surprised to find she and her mother were some of the first ones to arrived-beaten only by Melina, Liv, and Penelope.

"I told Mom we had plenty of time," she muttered as she walked over to where her cousin and Melina were sitting.

"So, how's Tasha been faring today?" she wondered.

"According to Tatiana, not very well," Melina responded.

"I think it's sweet that Aiden agreed to the plan. She deserves someone who will do nice things for her," Rachel opined.

"He's in love with her. I think he's as thrown off by the whole thing as she is. Alec said he'd been acting strangely all day."

"Well, I hope they figure it out soon," Holly decided.

"I'm sure they will," Rachel told her. "Regardless, tonight should be fun."

"There's one more grand gesture that Jesse has planned, isn't there?"

"I've been sworn to secrecy."

Holly sent her cousin a mock glare before she asked her next question.

"Is Kurt going to be here?"

"Yes. He and his dad were going to get lunch and then he said he'd be here. The only other people we're missing are Santana, Tasha, Tatiana, and Talia."

* * *

Stepping into her dress, Tasha sighed as Rachel zipped up the back.

"Is everything okay?" the younger girl wondered.

"I don't know. I woke up this morning to find out Aiden sent me flowers, then he sends me a container of my favorite candy with my name on the tin, followed by an empty photo album with the words 'Prom 2010' written on it," Tasha answered.

"We all got those things. It was part of a plan that Jesse and Blaine came up with. I think it was sweet of Aiden to agree to go along with it, even though you two are just going as friends."

"I know, but it doesn't help me get over my feelings."

"Do you remember what I told you last weekend when we were shopping?"

"Yes…"

"Just do that. Don't worry about how you think you should or shouldn't be feeling."

"I'll try. I may need some help."

Rachel smiled at her friend before giving her a reassuring hug.

"I'm happy to help, as are the others. Now, let's go find Kurt. You know he'll want to see how the dress looks now that your hair is done."

"I think I might steal my brother for a couple of pictures as a surprise for our mom. I've already taken a few with Tatiana when she wasn't looking," Tasha revealed as she and Rachel walked out of the room.

"I'm sure she'll love it," Rachel replied. "I managed to get a couple of Jesse and his sister today before I had to leave to get ready. I plan on giving a copy to their grandmother. I thought it would be something nice for them to look back on."

"I remember Alec and Marina taking a few together for our mother; she still has them framed in her room. I'm sure Jesse's grandma will be no different."

"It definitely makes me feel better about not telling Jesse I took the pictures."

* * *

After taking some pictures downstairs, the group of five teenagers, along with their assorted family members, joined their dates upstairs.

"Well, what do you think?" Rachel asked as she twirled in front of Jesse.

"I think you look gorgeous," Jesse replied with a smile.

Returning her boyfriend's smile, she slid an arm around his waist as she leaned into his side, eagerly watching the rest of her friends' reactions.

* * *

"Speak, Puckerman," Santana demanded of her boyfriend when he remained silent even after she walked up to him, placing her hands on her hips as she spoke.

"You look… _muy bonita_ ," he told her, knowing he got the Spanish right when he saw the smile bloom on his girlfriend's face and then felt her hug him tightly.

" _Gracias_."

* * *

"Do you like the dress?" Melina asked her boyfriend cautiously.

"I do. Tasha was right when she said it wasn't your usual style, but regardless, I think you look великолепный," Alec replied, earning a smile from his girlfriend in return.

* * *

"I look okay, right? I don't  _ressembler à un monstre_?" Holly inquired as she approached Dominic.

" _Non, tu es superbe_ ," he replied, taking her hands and lacing their fingers together.

* * *

"Hi," Tasha greeted as she walked over to Aiden, hoping her nerves wouldn't show through.

"Hi," Aiden responded. "You look nice."

"Thank you for the gifts, by the way. I know you didn't have to go along with Jesse and Blaine's plan…"

Before Aiden could respond, he heard Shelby tell the group that they only had a few more minutes before they would need to leave for dinner and the parents wanted more pictures in the meantime.

* * *

**Translations:**

muy bonita = very pretty [Spanish]

Gracias = thank you [Spanish

великолепный = gorgeous [Russian]

ressembler à un monstre = resemble a monster/freak [French]

Non, tu es superbe = no, you're beautiful [French]

**A/N 2:**  If any of my translations aren't correct, please let me know so I can fix them (I used Google translate for the Russian and French translations).


	69. Chapter 69

**A/N:**  I had a reviewer on ff. net ask me to post the ages/years of everyone. I know they can be difficult to keep track of, and I'm sure others have been wondering the same thing, so here's the list (and if you are wondering about any other characters, let me know):

Rachel: Sophomore/10th grade (age: 16)

Jesse: Senior/12th grade (age: 18)

Dominic: Senior/12th grade (age: 18)

Holly: Junior/11th grade (age: 17)

Melina: Senior/12th grade (age: 18)

Natasha [Tasha]: Junior/11th grade (age: 17)

Kurt: Sophomore/10th grade (age: 16)

Blaine: Junior/11th grade (age: 17)

Santana: Sophomore/10th grade (age: 16)

Puck: Junior/11th grade (age: 17)

Alec: Sophomore/2nd year in college/university (age: 20)

Aiden: Sophomore/2nd year in college/university (age: 20)

Marina: Sophomore/2nd year in college/university (age: 20)

Edmund: Junior/3rd year in college/university (age: 21)

Tatiana: Freshman/9th grade (age: 15)

Dmitry: Freshman/9th grade (age: 15)

ETA: I forgot Puck when I posted this, sorry guys, but he's there now :)

Olivia (Liv) [Melina and Dominic's younger sister]: 8th grade (age: 14)

Genevieve [Jesse's older sister]: 6 years older than Jesse (age: 24)

Joel: same age as Genevieve (24)

Rosa [Santana's younger sister]: 8th grade (age: 14)

Ava [Puck's younger sister]: 8th grade (age: 14)

Liam [Holly's younger brother]: Freshman/9th grade (age: 15)

In regards to prom, I'm going by what was done at my high school. I know I have some international readers, so if something doesn't make sense, please let me know. Upperclassmen, Juniors and Seniors, can go to the prom with a date or by themselves. The underclassmen, Sophomores and Freshmen, must be asked by an upperclassmen in order to be able to attend. So that's how Rachel and Santana are able to attend. I think I've mentioned this before, too, but the layout of Carmel is based on the HS I attended.

I mentioned this last chapter, but for those of you who didn't see my ETA there, I have posted on my tumblr the dresses for each girl if you want to see them.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and please review :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee, only my OCs.

* * *

"Tasha, stop fussing with your dress so I can take some pictures," Talia told her middle daughter with a sigh.

"What if I don't want pictures taken?" Tasha retorted.

"Natasha…" Aiden started to say, only to be cut off by a glare from the girl in question.

"Natasha Alexandra McKenzie, I want pictures of you in your dress, and with Aiden and your friends. You know Marina will throw a fit if she doesn't see pictures from tonight, too," Talia replied.

"I hate it when she uses my full name," Tasha muttered, eliciting a chuckle from the boy beside her.

"If it makes you feel any better, my mom did the same thing to me earlier. She said she doesn't care if I'm an adult now, I'll still be in trouble if she doesn't see at least some pictures of us from tonight," Aiden revealed.

"It kind of does, actually."

"The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get going. You want to find out what Jesse and Blaine's last surprise is, don't you?"  
"I hate it when you're right."

"Get used to it."

* * *

After the couples took some pictures together, as well as some various group pictures and pictures with their respective parents, the group of twelve that would be attending the dance made their way outside. All but three of them were surprised to find a limousine waiting for them.

"I shouldn't be surprised, but I am," Holly declared.

"Did you let the younger siblings take a ride in it earlier?" Tasha inquired.

"Yes," Jesse answered. "Why?"

"They disappeared for a little while, I was just curious as to where they went. Now I know."

"What are we waiting for?" Santana wondered. "¡ _Vamos_!"

"I have to agree with Santana on this one," Melina added. "Besides, we don't want to be late for our dinner reservations."

* * *

After dinner together at  _Prime Thyme_ , the girls were returning from freshening up when they noticed that another group of people from their team had entered the restaurant.

"Crap," Tasha muttered when she noticed Peter approaching them.

"Hi, Peter," Rachel greeted cheerfully, hoping to make the conversation short.

"Hi, Rachel," he replied, politely returning her smile.

"Who are you here with?" she asked, although she already knew.

"Just a few of the others from the team. One of my friends thinks the Aiden guy that Tasha said she was going with didn't actually exist, so I thought I would check it out for myself."

"I'm afraid your friend is wrong," a new voice replied from behind Peter.

"Aiden," Tasha breathed.

"Kurt was getting worried, so I volunteered to check up on the four of you," he explained as he moved to stand beside Tasha, sliding his arm around her waist before turning to the younger boy. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Aiden McLaughlin, Tasha's date. You must be Peter, her dance partner."

"Former dance partner now," Peter corrected. "Shelby decided to reassign us to different people."

"I see. Well, it was nice to meet you, but we really need to be going. We'll see you at the dance, I'm sure."

Peter nodded, watching as Aiden and Tasha, along with the other three girls she had been with, walked away. He still thought something was off between his now-former dance partner and her supposed date, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. As he saw her slide her arm around Aiden's waist, he shook his head to dismiss the thought. He'd keep an eye on them anyway, he finally decided before heading back to his table.

* * *

"You're a life-saver, Aiden," Melina declared as she, Santana, Rachel, Aiden, and Tasha walked outside to rejoin the rest of the group.

"Apparently Rachel and Jesse were prepared, since they came up with a way for her to tell him if that Peter kid showed up," Aiden revealed.

"You did?" Tasha asked her friend.

"Yes," Rachel replied, smiling to herself when she noticed that neither Tasha nor Aiden had removed their arm from around the other. "I was hoping to not have to use it, but he was acting all creepy, so I did."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I filled my Mom and Jack in on what's going on, so they'll be keeping an eye out for any creepy behavior during the dance."

"Well, that makes me feel slightly better, anyway."

"I'd kind of like to know who this friend is that decided I didn't actually exist," Aiden opined.

"It was probably Peter himself," Santana theorized.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Melina agreed.

"He's not going to ruin my night with his creeper antics," Tasha decided. "You guys are the first real friends I've had, and I want to have fun with all of you tonight."

"Then let's go have fun," Rachel told the older girl as they shared a smile. "The limo is ours for the night."

* * *

"Are you having fun?" Jesse asked his girlfriend as they danced together to a slower song.

"Yes," Rachel replied with a smile. "I loved seeing everyone's reaction to the limo, too."

"I'm glad you suggested it, and that Blaine was on board with it, too. It's been fun."

"Plus it means we get to spend more time with our friends."

"That's very true. You never did tell me what happened with Peter at  _Prime Thyme_."

"It was actually quite creepy. He basically told Tasha that he was convinced Aiden didn't actually exist and she had made him up to get out of going with him. Before any of us could say anything else, Aiden arrived."

"That's all it took?"

"Well, Aiden made a show of putting his arm around Tasha and then he introduced himself. I don't think Peter knew quite what to think."

"I haven't seen him as of yet, but I don't want you to worry about it."

"I'm not. I know my Mom and Jack will take care of anything that might happen, plus either Aiden and/or Alec have been with Tasha all night."

"Good. Would you be mad at me if I told you the limo wasn't the last surprise?"

* * *

"Tasha is fine, Holl," Dominic reminded his girlfriend as he handed her a cup of punch.

"I know, I just talked to her," Holly replied. "I was just thinking about stuff, that's all."

"What kind of stuff?"

"The trip to France mostly. Aunt Shelby sent me some stuff about the resort we'll be staying at and I've been looking through it."

"I'm looking forward to it, too. I've been trying to concentrate on school, though, since I still need to pass my classes in order to graduate."

"Ugh, don't remind me."

"Of school or my graduation?"

"Both…but pretty much just school in general."

"Okay, then, for tonight, I won't mention it anymore."

"You're the best," Holly declared, leaning up to steal a quick kiss from Dominic before taking his hand and leading him back out onto the dance floor.

* * *

"How about a dance, little sister?" Alec asked, holding his hand out to Tasha.

"I'm not little anymore, Alec," Tasha argued good-naturedly as she took her brother's hand and let him pull her up.

"Maybe not, but you'll always be my little sister. Get used to it."

"Now you sound like Marina."

"Well, she is my twin sister, so what do you expect?"

"For you to be the less bossy one," Tasha answered.

Alec laughed as he hugged her.

"I asked Mel to take a couple pictures of us, since you and I both know Mama will think it's adorable that we had a brother-sister dance."

"That sounds like Mama. I'm kind of surprised she didn't volunteer to chaperone the dance just to get more pictures."

"Don't give her any ideas."

"I don't need to. She thinks of plenty all on her own."

Alec laughed again as he nodded in agreement.

"She does. Aunt Katya was just as bad today."

"I'm not surprised," Tasha replied. "What did she do?"

* * *

As Alec and Tasha danced together, Melina pulled Aiden onto the dance floor just a short distance from the bickering siblings.

"You've known Alec and his siblings since you were little, right?"

"Yes. Our moms are best friends, so my brother and I saw Alec's family on almost a daily basis."

"Ivan isn't as close to them as you are, though."

"No, he's not. For whatever reason, he just never got close to them like I did. Ivan is four years older than me, which also makes him four years older than Marina and Alec, who are the oldest children in their family, so he pretty much just made his own friends."

"That's understandable. He seems to get along with everyone, though."

"He does. His girlfriend does, too, I think you met her briefly at the party for my grandparents, right?"

"Yes. She seemed nice, but I didn't really get to talk to her much."

"Well, I'm sure you'll see her at various things over the years if you stay with Alec, since his family and mine are together more often than not."

"Is there a particular reason you're so curious about my family?" Aiden wondered.

"No, not really. I was just wondering…I've always found the various family dynamics that people have interesting."

"Speaking of family…what did you think of Alec's surprise for you after your Nationals competition?"

* * *

After finishing his dance with Melina, Aiden walked with her out to the common area just outside of the gym, where they had seen other members of their group go a short while ago.

"Where's Natasha?" Aiden wondered as they approached.

"Noah asked her to help him with a part of the dance he has been learning for Santana," Rachel explained. "Blaine is distracting her because it's supposed to be a surprise."

"That's so cute," Melina said with a smile. "I'm sure she'll love it, even if he doesn't execute the dance perfectly."

"That's what I told him. The song he requested is up next, so we'll see how it goes."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Jesse predicted. "He's improved a lot since joining Vocal Adrenaline."

"That's what I tried to tell him, but he was still worried so Tasha volunteered to go over it quickly. She's the one that's been teaching him."

"Is that the big secret he was keeping from Santana?" Holly asked her cousin.

"Yes. Like I said, he wanted it to be a surprise, but he had hurt himself in rehearsal the Sunday before the competition. He ended up just stepping wrong and he was fine after a couple of days of taking it easy, but he felt discouraged by it and that he wouldn't be able to accomplish it in time."

"Will he get mad if we watch?" Melina inquired.

"I don't think so, as long as we stay on the sidelines and just watch."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kurt wondered. "Let's get in there-I just heard the song change."

* * *

When she saw Aiden the rest of her friends walk back into the gym, Tasha immediately made her way back over to them. Having also seen Peter enter a short while before them, she didn't want to be alone anymore, either.

"You okay?" Aiden asked softly, noticing the slightly panicked look she wore.

"I am now," she replied with the best smile she could muster.

In response, Aiden slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to his side, hoping to give her some comfort and to keep her close. He was surprised when she slid her arm around his waist, for the second time that night, and leaned into his side instead of pulling away. Deciding not to argue, he opted to change the subject instead.

"Rachel told us what you did for Puck."

"He's a friend and he really wanted to impress Santana. I thought it was sweet."

"You're a good friend, Natasha."

"They were all so welcoming to me when I first transferred. Granted most of us transferred to Carmel this year, but still. I only knew Holly when I first started there and they all just accepted me. I wanted to do something to repay them, and I enjoy teaching people to dance. At least the ones that are eager to learn, anyway."

"Maybe it's your calling," Aiden suggested.

"Maybe," Tasha agreed. "Mama is always saying how she hopes either Tatiana or I decide to stay here and take over the dance studio someday."

"Don't you already help your parents with a lot of stuff there?"

"Yeah, but I never thought anything of it until recently."

"You don't have to make up your mind right now."

"I know, but I have to start applying to colleges in just a few months, so I need to make up my mind pretty soon here…at least about where I want to go."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. I wouldn't worry about it, at least not for tonight. Are you up for more dancing?"

"Sure."

"Then come on, princess," Aiden said as he removed his arm to take her hand in his and lead her to the dance floor. "Let's dance."

"Princess?" Tasha repeated as she followed the older boy.

"You look like a princess, so I thought it was fitting."

"Have you been talking to Tatiana?"

"I said hi to her earlier, but other than that, no. Why?"

"Because I told her I wanted to look like a princess tonight."

"She didn't say anything to me about it."

"You really think I look like a princess?"

"Yes. Is that not a good thing?"

"It's fine. I was just surprised, that's all."

Aiden nodded in understanding before twirling her in time with the song that was playing. When he pulled her back towards him, he spoke again.

"Maybe later you'll actually get to dance like one, too."

* * *

"Okay, Puckerman, spill. Where did you learn to dance like that?" Santana demanded after she and Puck had finished their dance.

"Tasha. I told you I was learning a dance and I hurt myself…I just didn't tell you which dance because I wanted to surprise you," Puck revealed.

"Why did you want to learn that particular dance?"

"Because I know how much you like it. Rachel is always saying it's the little things that usually end up meaning the most, so I took her advice. I know I messed up in some spots, but I thought I did pretty well overall."

Santana smiled at her boyfriend before she hugged him tightly.

"You did. There's still room for improvement, and I think I'll be taking over as your dance teacher, but it was a nice surprise. Thank you."

"I'd do anything for you. You know that, right?"

"I know. It's still nice to hear, though."

"I love you," Puck reminded her before leaning down to give her a soft kiss.

"I love you, too," Santana replied, pulling back to smile up at him.

"Good. I want you to keep that in mind because I have one final surprise for you."

* * *

"So you and Jesse  _do_  have another surprise," Kurt said as he approached his boyfriend at a nearby table.

"Yes, we do," Blaine confessed. "I think you'll like it, though. We're hoping the girls do, too."

"I liked all of the others, and you know me better than a lot of people, so I'm going to trust your instincts on this one. As for the girls, they liked all of the other surprises, so I 'm confident they will like this one too. I have a surprise of my own for them, I just haven't decided when to tell them about it yet."

"Did you get the pictures you wanted, then?"

Kurt grinned at his boyfriend as he nodded.

"I did. I just hope they all find them as adorable as I do."

"Can I see them?"

"Sure," Kurt agreed, handing over his camera.

"You got one of Jack and Shelby, too?"

"I couldn't resist. They looked so cute and like there was no other place they'd rather be than with each other. I thought Rachel might like the picture as well."

"I'm sure she will. Did you get one of Puck and Santana dancing?"

"I got a few, actually. I even managed to get some of Tasha and Aiden when they weren't looking, but I think I'll save those for a later date."

"Speaking of Aiden, what do you think of him?"

"I like him. I think he fits in well with the rest of us, which is always a plus, and he seems to truly care about Tasha. I even heard him tell her she looks like a princess tonight. The look on her face was priceless."

"That's adorable."

"It really is. I'm glad we decided to adopt him into our group. He even said that he hoped to have with Tasha what you and I, and the other couples, have with each other."

"He did?"

"Yes. They're both still in doubt about the fact that the other could feel the same, and they aren't as willing to put all their cards on the table like our fearless leaders are, but I think they'll figure it out eventually. Enough about them, though. I want to know when this last surprise is supposed to happen."

Blaine laughed in response to the sudden subject change before he began to fill Kurt in on the final surprise. He had talked to Jesse and the others about it earlier and they had decided to tell Kurt, since he was closest to the girls and was therefore the best person to help them with the surprise if needed.

* * *

Shortly before the dance was over, as she waited for Aiden to get her purse for her, Tasha saw Peter approach her again. Since she didn't have her phone, she couldn't text or call anyone, either. After muttering a curse under her breath, she plastered on a smile and greeted her teammate.

"Hi, Peter," she greeted.

"Hi, Tasha," he replied, taking a seat next to her. "How are you?"

"I'm tired, but I did have a lot of fun with my friends tonight, so it's okay. How are you?"

"I'm okay. I was actually looking for some advice, if you have a minute and your boyfriend won't hurt me for talking to you."

Realizing that Peter wasn't actively trying to be creepy, and instead was just unsure about how to ask for advice, she let out the breath she'd been holding.

"Aiden wouldn't hurt you unless he thought I was in some kind of danger. What did you want advice on?"

"First of all, I just wanted to clear something up. When I asked you about the prom, I wasn't trying to ask you, I was trying to make conversation and get around the topic I wanted advice on."

"I feel kind of stupid now."

"Don't. I didn't approach the topic very well, so I guess we can call it even."

"I'd be good with that."

"Anyway, so there's this girl that I like…she actually is part of the group I came here with tonight…and I've been thinking about asking her out, but I don't know if I'm misinterpreting her signals."

"Who is it?"

"My now current dance partner."

Tasha thought in silence for a moment, trying to remember if she'd ever seen Peter and the girl in question interact before.

"Who decided she would be your new partner?" Tasha finally asked.

"Shelby…why?" Peter returned.

"Ask her out. Trust me. I'm friends with Shelby's daughter, and they both can't help but play matchmaker. If Shelby put you two together, she had a good reason."

"You're sure about this?"

"Positive."

"Okay. I just have to work up the nerve to do it now."

Tasha smiled at her teammate before she spoke again.

"I understand completely, trust me."

"You and Aiden aren't together?"

"I wish. It's…complicated."

"Well, you could have fooled me," Peter told her as he stood. "Thanks for listening, Tasha. Have a good weekend."

* * *

As he was walking back into the commons area just outside of the gym, Aiden saw Peter and Tasha leaning close and talking to each other. Ignoring the jealousy he could feel brewing, he continued walking towards them but they finished their conversation before he could hear anything.

"Hey, you okay?" Aiden asked as he approached.

Tasha smiled up at the older boy as she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Turns out he just wanted some advice. Coast is clear."

"Jesse and Blaine have stormed the stage, along with Rachel and Kurt. They're insisting on our presence in the gym immediately."

"I don't know if I can walk in these heels again now that I've sat down."

"So take them off. Melina already ditched hers, and I think Holly and Rachel have, too."

"Good," Tasha declared before leaning down to do as Aiden had suggested.

Once she had removed her shoes, she picked them up and walked with the boy she liked back into the gym to join their friends.

* * *

"Do you remember how to waltz, Aiden?" Holly immediately asked once he and Tasha had joined the group gathered near the stage.

"I'm sure I can manage. Why?"

"You'll see."

Before Aiden could respond, he heard Jesse begin to sing.

**Ten Minutes Ago I saw you,**  
I looked up when you came through the door  
My head started reeling, You gave me the feeling  
The room had no ceiling or floor.  
Ten Minutes ago, I met you  
And we murmered our how-do-you do's,  
I wanted to ring out the bells and fling out my arms  
And to sing out the news.

Turning to the girl at his side, Aiden held out his hand before posing his question.

"What do you say, princess, how about one final dance?"

"Of course. You did say I would be able to dance like a princess tonight, after all," Tasha replied, placing her hand in Aiden's and letting him lead her into the dance as their friend continued to sing.  **  
**

**I have found her! She's an angel**  
With the dust of the stars in her eyes.  
We are dancing, we are flying  
And she's taking me back to the skies.  
In the arms of my love I'm flying  
Over mountain and meadow and glen  
And I like it so well that for all I can tell  
I may never come down again! I may never come down to earth again.

After sharing a secret smile with her boyfriend, Rachel began her part of the song. When she saw that Holly and Dominic, along with Melina and Alec, had joined Tasha and Aiden on the dance floor, her smile grew.

_Ten Minutes Ago I met you,_  
And we murmered our how-do-you do's  
I wanted to ring out the bells and fling out my arms  
And to sing out the news

* * *

"Our turn now," Blaine declared as he and Kurt took the microphones from their friends.

"What are you going to sing?" Rachel wondered.

"It's a surprise," Kurt replied, following Blaine back to the piano. "Go dance with your boyfriend. I want to sing with mine."

Rachel smiled and nodded, knowing better than to argue with Kurt. Besides, she'd never pass up an opportunity to dance with Jesse. As the opening notes to the song Blaine and Kurt had chosen played, Jesse pulled Rachel into his arms for the final dance of the night.

**Ocean's apart day after day  
And I slowly go insane**

_I hear your voice on the line  
But it doesn't stop the pain_

**If I see you next to never  
How can we say forever**

__**Wherever you go**  
Whatever you do  
I will be right here waiting for you  
Whatever it takes  
Or how my heart breaks  
I will be right here waiting for you  
I took for granted, all the times  
That I thought would last somehow  
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears  
But I can't get near you now  
Oh, can't you see it baby  
You've got me going crazy

* * *

When everyone had settled in the limo, Jesse and Blaine revealed the final surprise of the night.

"We rented a suite at the hotel not far from  _Prime Thyme_. It's paid for and we have a late check-out for tomorrow, so we'll have plenty of time to enjoy it," Jesse began.

"If any of you don't want to go, we understand, and we'll drop you back off at your house, just let us know," Blaine finished.

"I think it sounds like fun," Melina decided.

"Me, too," Tasha added before she yawned and then laid her head on Aiden's shoulder.

"No falling asleep," Rachel teased from her spot between Jesse and Holly.

"I won't," Tasha promised with a smile. "I am ready to change back into some normal clothes, though."

"Me, too," Holly agreed.

"Thank you for teaching Puck to dance, by the way," Santana said to Tasha. "However, I'm going to be taking over his lessons from now on."

"I kind of figured as much," Tasha replied with a laugh. "I'm just happy to see it all worked out. My parents are always looking for people to teach various types of dance, if you're looking to make some extra money over the summer."

"I'll think about it."

"Are you ready to move back here, Aiden?" Blaine inquired.

"I am," Aiden confirmed. "It'll be weird not seeing Alec all of the time anymore, but it's not like I'm moving across the country or something. He'll be back to visit and I can always go out there and visit him; it's not that far away. I'm looking forward to the internship with Hiram, too."

"The one you almost didn't take," Tasha reminded him.

"никто не спросил вас," Aiden promptly replied, earning him a mock glare from the girl at his side.

"What does that mean?" Rachel asked.

"It's the same phrase Holly likes to say in French," Alec replied.

"'Nobody asked you'?"

"That's the one."

"I gave him permission to use it once tonight," Holly added with a laugh, the rest of the group joining in with her.

* * *

**Translations:**

Vamos = let's go

никто не спросил вас = nobody asked you

**Songs:**

Rachel & Jesse: "10 Minutes Ago" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's  _Cinderella_.

Kurt & Blaine: "I Will Be Right Here Waiting for You" by Richard Marx


	70. Chapter 70

**A/N:**  So...this is longer than I ever though it would be, but I don't anticipate that many chapters left to this. I've been toying with the idea of a sequel, basically starting where this one leaves off and going through Rachel's junior year, but I haven't decided yet. Thoughts?

Anyway, I hope you all are still enjoying the story and please review :)

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee, but my OCs are mine.

* * *

Once they arrived at the hotel and had gotten all of their things brought upstairs, everyone changed out of their formal clothes and into their normal ones. The girls gathered in one of the suite's bathrooms as they began to take their hair down, with Kurt joining them to chat and help out as needed.

"You and Aiden seemed rather chummy tonight," Holly commented as she began taking pins out of her hair and tossing them on the counter. "Was that just a show for Peter?"

"Ugh, don't say his name, please," Tasha requested. "To answer your question, though, I honestly don't know. I was trying to have fun and not think about it too much. He told me I looked like a princess."

"He did?"

"Yes. I asked him if he'd been talking to Tatiana and he said no, he just thought I looked like a princess. He also mentioned something about dancing like one, but I don't really know what he meant by that."

"I think it's sweet," Rachel decided.

"I'm not sure he'll ever make grand romantic gestures like Jesse does, but I'm okay with that."

"He leaves tomorrow for another month. Do you think he'll still feel the same when he comes back?' Kurt wondered.

Tasha sighed and then shrugged before answering Kurt's question.

"I don't know. I'm just going to take Rachel's advice and continue to try and enjoy tonight."

* * *

After the group was once again all together, some of them opted to go swimming while others decided to stay in the room and watch a movie.

"Does at least one of you have a key?" Rachel asked as the half of the group who had decided to go swimming.

"Yes,  _mom_ ," Holly replied sarcastically, earning a laugh from her cousin in return.

"I'm just making sure."

"I know. Are you sure you don't want to come with?"

"Maybe later. I just want to lie around for a while."

"Okay, well you know where to find us."

"Just so we're clear, there will be no throwing of the sisters into the pool tonight," Tasha told her brother and Dominic as she and Aiden approached.

"Marina's so much more fun to throw in, anyway," Alec retorted.

"She only lets you get away with it because you're her twin."

"I know."

* * *

"So, what movie did you decide on, Rachel?" Blaine wondered when he saw the younger girl walk back into the living room.

"Well, since Kurt was so helpful in finding our dresses and everything, I have selected a movie starring his other favorite performer, Ms. Julie Andrews."

"Ooh, which one?" Kurt inquired.

" _The Sound of Music_ ," Jesse answered as Rachel once again took her seat between himself and Kurt.

"Are you two okay with this movie?" Rachel asked the other couple in the room, who she knew were not as big of fans of musicals as she and the others were.

"As long as I don't have to move from this spot for a while, I'm good," Puck responded, making Rachel giggle as she shook her head.

"I second that," Santana added.

"No complaining later, then," Rachel told them. "I did ask both of you this time."

"Whatever you say, Rach," Puck replied, earning him a mock glare from his friend before she turned back to the movie.

* * *

"Did you have fun tonight?" Melina asked as she took a seat on the chair next to Tasha's.

"I did," Tasha replied with a smile. "I just wish things didn't have to go back to the way they were when the night ends."

"Who says they have to?"

"I can't be with him, Lina."

"I'm not going to ask why not, because I already know what you're going to say, but I will tell you this: sometimes it's okay to be selfish, especially when it comes to love."

"I just want to enjoy what's left of tonight. At least I won't have to see him again for a few weeks after this, so I'll have time to get over it."

"Then go have fun with him," Melina told her as she stood. "If you need anything, just let me know."

"I will. Thanks, Lina."

Melina smiled and nodded before walking away to join her friends, brother, and boyfriend in the pool.

* * *

"About time you joined us, Tasha," Holly teased as she saw her friend finally get into the pool.

"Especially considering this was  _your_  idea," Alec added as he playfully splashed her.

"I wouldn't be so tired if our lovely little sister hadn't decided to wake me up so early this morning," Tasha retorted, splashing her brother back.

"Why  _did_  she wake you up so early, anyway?" Aiden wondered.

"Because she saw that you sent me flowers and got all excited. She was awake, so she thought I should be, too."

"You make her sound like she's a little kid."

"She just likes to feel included, I think," Melina theorized. "I know that's how Liv feels. You are her big sister, she looks up to you. You saw how enthusiastic she was about finding you the perfect dress."

"I know," Tasha sighed. "I'm not mad at her. I just would have liked to sleep a bit more."

"How did she know the flowers were from me?" Aiden asked her. "Did she know about the plan?"

"No, I don't so," Alec started to answer. "I have no idea how she knew the flowers were from you, though."

"I asked her that same question this morning," Tasha revealed. "She said she knew because they said "To: Natasha" on them. You're the only one, aside from my mother when she's mad, that calls me that. I'm sure she and Mama were both fawning over them this morning."

"That would explain why Dmitry was so eager to go run errands with Dad this morning," Alec commented with a laugh.

"At least your mother had other people to fuss over this morning," Aiden put in.

"Good point."

* * *

"Come on, Holl, let's go back upstairs," Dominic suggested, pulling his girlfriend up off of the pool lounge chair she'd been sitting on.

"She looks about ready to pass out," Alec noticed, Melina nodding in agreement beside him.

"If you two can get the doors, I can just carry her upstairs."

"Sure," Melina agreed before turning back to the two members of their group still in the pool. "One of you has a key, right?"

"I have one," Aiden responded before turning his attention back to the girl currently sitting on the edge of the pool.

"Bed, now," Holly commanded, resting her head on Dominic's shoulder once he had lifted her into his arms.

"She's bossy even when she's sleepy," Melina mock complained, eliciting a chuckle from Alec.

"She always has been, she probably always will be," he told her.

* * *

When the foursome returned to the suite, they noticed the half of the group who had stayed behind had fallen asleep watching their movie, as the music from the title screen kept repeating. Smiling at how adorable each of the couples look, Melina made sure they each had a blanket while Alec turned the movie and TV off.

"Do you think we should wake them so they can move to a bed?" she wondered.

"They look plenty comfortable to me, let them sleep," Alec decided, taking her hand and leading her towards one of the three bedrooms. "You look pretty beat yourself, and it has been a long day, I think we all should get some sleep. I'm going to try not to think about the way my sister and my best friend have been flirting all night."

Debating on how exactly to ask her question, Melina waited until she and Alec were alone in the bedroom before she spoke again.

"Would it be so bad if they got together?" she asked softly.

"I don't know," Alec answered with a sigh. "I want them to be happy, but I guess I just didn't see their relationship changing."

"I don't think they did, either. However, I am sure that they'd appreciate your support."

"Why wouldn't I support them?"

"For the exact same reason I believe you  _would_  support them-because Tasha is your little sister and Aiden is your best friend. They're both afraid if what you'd think of them if they decided to pursue something with each other."

"I won't say it wouldn't take some getting used to, because it would, but if being with each other will make them happy…then I'll work on getting used to it."

"I won't say anything to anyone," Melina promised. "Not even Marina. I just know that your sister is one of my best friends and tonight was the happiest I've seen her in a while."

"Is everything okay with her?"

"She's fine. Things have been kind of hectic lately, with Nationals and then prom, so I think she was just finally able to let herself relax. That's all."

"You'd tell me if something was going on with her, right?"

"Yes. Stop worrying about her, she'll be fine. She may act like she has a broken heart after tonight, though."

"Why?"

"Because she's convinced that Aiden doesn't share her feelings. I think one of them will crack eventually, and blurt out how they feel."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't know how much longer they can keep denying their true feelings. Don't you remember how long it didn't take us to admit how we felt about each other?"

"I thought for sure you'd push me away and tell me I was insane," Alec remembered.

"You did surprise me with that kiss, but I don't regret it," Melina reminded him. "Now imagine if we had known each other practically our entire lives, grew up with each other as surrogate siblings. How hard would it have been to cross that line from sibling-like friendship to a romantic relationship?"

"Good point," Alec admitted with a sigh. "I'd still rather not think about it."

Melina laughed as she and Alec settled on the bed together.

"I never said you had to think about it all the time, I just want you to be open to the possibility of them being together."

"I'll keep that in mind," Alec agreed, giving her a soft kiss before he spoke again. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

When she returned home the next morning, Tasha purposely avoided the rest of her family by promptly walking upstairs to her room and locking the door behind her.

"What's wrong with her?" Talia asked her older son.

"No clue, she's been like that all morning," Alec replied.

He hated lying to his mother, but he knew it wasn't his place to tell her what was going on.

"I'll check on her later. Maybe she didn't sleep well," Talia decided, though she had a feeling it was something different. "What time is your flight?"

"I have to be at the airport by two. I was hoping for some of your  _kasha_  this morning, actually."

"It's a good thing your sister informed me of your request, then."

"Tatiana told you?"

"Sort of. She just said you two were talking about making a special request for breakfast and  _kasha_  had come up as a suggestion."

"Do you have the pictures from last night?" Alec wondered as he and his mother walked into the kitchen to join Oliver, Tatiana, and Dmitry for breakfast.

"Yes, I'll show them to you after breakfast. I was able to get some nice ones of you and Melina. I made copies of them so you each can have one."

* * *

"Hi, sweetie, Jesse," Hiram greeted when he saw his daughter and the boy he already considered his son walk into the kitchen.

"Hi, Daddy," Rachel returned, quickly moving to hug him. "Where's everyone else?"

"Your Dad is in the study, and your Mom and Jack are still sleeping as far as I know."

"What are you making?" Jesse wondered as he walked over to the stove.

"Blueberry pancakes. They should be ready soon, but there's some fruit on the counter if you're hungry now."

"Should I go get Dad?" Rachel wondered.

"Go ahead, sweetie, I'm sure Jesse and I can handle things."

Rachel smiled and nodded before walking out of the room and down the hall to the study.

* * *

"Dad, we're home," Rachel announced as she walked into the room.

"Did you have fun?" Leroy asked, standing up to hug his daughter.

"Yes. The rest of the surprises Jesse and Blaine had come up with were fun, too. I'd never been in a limo before last night, so that was exciting."

"Thank you for texting us when you left and arrived at your various destinations. It helps your Daddy and I worry less."

"You and Daddy were nice enough to let me move here, and uprooted the life you had in Lima to be here with me. Keeping you updated on where I am seemed like the least I could do."

"I think the move was good for all of us," Leroy decided as he and Rachel began to walk back towards the kitchen. "In fact, that's something your Daddy and I wanted to talk to you about."

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, honey. Your Daddy and I have just done a lot of thinking about something lately and we wanted your input. We wanted to make this decision as a family."

"What decision are we making?" Jesse wondered, having heard the last part of Leroy's sentence as the older man and Rachel walked into the kitchen.

"We'll tell you about it in a few minutes," Hiram responded, meeting his husband's eyes in a silent question. After receiving a nod from Leroy, he turned to their daughter. "Sweetie, could you get the juice out of the fridge, please? It's just the four of us for breakfast this morning."

"Sure," Rachel agreed, moving to do as her father asked.

* * *

Once the foursome had settled at the kitchen table, Leroy began to further explain what he had started telling Rachel about.

"As I was telling Rachel when we walked in, we wanted to make a particular decision as a family, since it affects all of us."

"What's going on?" Rachel asked, looking back and forth between her dads.

"We're thinking about selling the house in Lima," Hiram revealed.

"May I ask what prompted that decision?" Jesse inquired.

"Well, as you both are aware, I opened the restaurant here and it requires quite a bit of my time. Leroy has also been offered a position at the office that his firm recently opened here in Akron. We don't really have a reason to keep the house in Lima, since we've pretty much settled here. Even once you graduate, Rachel, your Dad and I plan to stay here."

"Does Mom know?" Rachel wondered.

"Yes. She said that her offer to let us continue living here even once you graduate is still good. Jack pointed out that this living arrangement works well for us. All of our lives are here now. We assume you want to stay at Carmel for the rest of your high school career, and while the house in Lima has a lot of sentimental value, it doesn't make a lot of financial sense for us to keep it."

Rachel was silent for a few minutes as she thought about what her daddy was saying. She was happier here than she'd ever been in Lima, her life was here, and things seemed to be going well for her dads here, too.

"Go ahead and sell it," she decided. "I just have one condition."

"What's that?" Leroy wondered.

"I'd like to take pictures of each room as we have it now. I grew up in that house, and I'd like to have pictures to remember it by."

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Hiram assured her with a smile. "We weren't planning on putting it on the market for a couple of months yet, anyway."

"You okay, Rach?" Jesse asked.

"I'm fine," she told him with a smile. "It's going to hard to say goodbye to the house, there's a lot of memories there, but this is good for all of us. I think it's the right thing to do."

"Maybe another family will buy it and they can make good memories of their own there."

"I hope so."

"So, what's this about you and Jesse storming the stage after prom last night?" Hiram asked, changing the subject as he and the others began to eat.

* * *

"Mom! We're home!" Melina called out when she and Dominic entered their house.

"Mom's in the kitchen," Liv informed them. "She's making French toast."

"Where are Kayla and Jordan?"

"Kayla is in the kitchen with Mom. Jordan and my dad were ordered out of the kitchen a while ago."

"Why were they ordered out?" Dominic wondered.

"Dad kept snitching food and Jordan was annoying Kayla, so my mom ordered them out."

"Sounds like a typical morning when Mom cooks," Melina commented.

"Speaking of moms, I should probably go call mine quickly."

"Okay, I'll let my mom know."

* * *

"About time you got home," an annoyed voice said as Holly let herself into her house.

"Well, good morning to you, too, little brother," she retorted.

"Mom wouldn't let us eat without you. Said she wanted to hear about your night. I don't know what I have to be there to listen to it."

"I'll try to keep to other topics while you eat," Holly promised. "I'm going to go put my dress away and then I'll be there."

"Good, because I'm  _starving_ ," Liam replied, hopping off of the step he'd been sitting on and quickly walking into the kitchen.

With a shake of her head, Holly walked upstairs to put her things away before meeting the rest of her family in the kitchen for breakfast.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" she exclaimed when she saw her grandparents sitting at the table.

"Hello, darling," she greeted before first she, and then Charles, hugged their granddaughter.

"Why didn't you tell me Grandma and Grandpa were here?" Holly demanded of her brother.

"Mom swore me to secrecy, said she'd take away my Wii for two weeks if I told you anything."

"No. I said two days, not two weeks," Sara reminded her son as she set a plate in front of him. "Stop exaggerating."

"Good to know Rachel and I aren't the only dramatic ones in the family," Holly opined as she took a seat at the table.

"I am  _not_  dramatic," Liam protested.

"Whatever you say, little brother."

* * *

"Aiden, is that you?" Katya called as she heard the door open.

"Yeah, Mom, it's me," Aiden answered, walking in the direction his mother's voice had come from.

Looking up from the food she had been preparing, Katya took one look at her son's face and immediately knew something was wrong.

"Did you not have a good night?" she asked.

"It was fine until Natasha decided to treat me like I had a contagious disease and refused to be around me for more than a minute or two."

"Sit," Katya commanded, setting the plate of eggs in front of her son before taking the seat across from him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Why is it so important to you how Tasha feels?"

"About not wanting to be near me?"

"Mostly in general. You made sure to find out what her favorite kind of flowers were so that you could send them to her, you went along with the plan her friends came up with because you wanted her to feel included. You said you were just doing her a favor, but judging by the look on your face, there's more to it than that."

"It's stupid."

"Try me."

Aiden ate a few more bites of his food before he began to explain things to his mother. When he finished, he could see the sympathy in her eyes.

"I wish there was something I could do to take your pain away, honey," Katya began. "I don't know what's going on in her head, but I will keep my fingers crossed that she figures it out soon. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"No. She made up her mind, there's nothing I can do to change it. I just have to accept it and move on."

"You can't just turn off your feelings for someone."

"No, but I have other things I can concentrate on. If she doesn't want me around, then I won't be."

"Aiden…"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. I have to finish packing. I'm going to try and catch an earlier flight."

"Okay. Just let me know when you're ready to go," Katya told him as she stood. "Just remember that your dad and I are here for you if you need us."

* * *

"Why is your phone ringing so early on a Sunday?" Edmund asked his girlfriend, having glanced at the clock when her phone began to ring and realizing it was still relatively early.

"It's Tasha," Marina replied. "I should take this. I'll go out in the living room."

Edmund nodded, rolling over to go back to sleep as he heard her answer the phone.

"Tasha, calm down and breathe," Marina commanded as she took a seat on the couch. "Start from the beginning. Tell me what happened."

After doing as her sister instructed, Tasha managed to fill her in on the events of the previous day and earlier this morning.

"I don't want to be in love with him," she lamented.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that, little sister," Marina replied. "How do you know you're in love with him?"

"He's the one I want to share everything with. I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not around him. As Rachel always says, he wants the same life as I do. At least, I think he does. He makes me laugh and I know he won't judge me no matter what I tell him."

"Sounds like love to me. Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

"He's Alec's best friend. He's off-limits."

"No, he's not. You just keep telling yourself he is because you don't want to admit how you feel."

"Is it so wrong to be scared that he's going to laugh at me and tell me that he still thinks of me as his little sister?"

"No, it's not wrong. Look, I get it. I thought Edmund was off-limits, too. I was so scared he wasn't going to feel the same way and I'd have to either watch him with other girls or find someone to take over my part of the lease."

"He seemed mad when he left this morning," Tasha confessed.

"Well, do you blame him? He was probably hurt, too, especially if he feels about you the way you do about him."

"So, what do you suggest I do?"

"Knowing Aiden, I'd say give him some space to start with. Regardless of what you decide to do, things have changed between the two of you and you both need time to adjust. I'll be home for a little while in a few weeks. Edmund and I are planning to spend a month visiting friends and family in Ohio. I might even pay my twin and his roommate a visit before then. Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so. I'm going to take a hot bath, I think. That always helps."

"It does," Marina agreed. "If you need anything, just call me, okay?"

"I will," Tasha promised. "Thanks, Mari."

* * *

A couple of weeks later, during one of the last Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals for the seniors, Jack walked into the auditorium surprised to find it had been re-decorated sometime during the day. Taking a seat next to his fiancée, he sent her questioning look.

"Do you know what this is all about?" he asked, also noticing that most of the members of the team were still seated in the audience.

"Yes, but I'm not allowed to say anything."

"Is this what you and Rachel were working on last weekend?"

"It's related to it, yes."

"Do the others know they're waiting for a performance?"

"Yes. I just haven't told them what the performance will be, and I'm not going to tell you, either. Rachel and the others involved wanted this to be a surprise, so a surprise it shall be."

"I trust you. As long as you're okay with it, that's all I need to know."

"Good. Now, pay attention. Rachel will want your feedback when this is finished, I'm sure."

Jack nodded, smiling a little to himself. A year ago, he still thought he'd never see Shelby again. Now they were engaged and he had been accepted into her family. They may not be normal, but he always knew life with Shelby would be anything but that.

"Stop thinking and watch," Shelby whispered just before the music started.

Turning his attention to the stage, Jack's smile grew when he recognized Rachel, Kurt, Melina, Tasha, Holly, Tatiana, and Santana on the stage decked out in costumes clearly inspired by the various ones worn by the singer of the song herself.

* * *

Once he and the girls had taken their spots on the stage, Kurt began to sing the song they had chosen, with the others joining in before Rachel began the first verse. They had sung it for an earlier competition, but decided to bring it back and add Lady Gaga-inspired costumes along with some new choreography.

_Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!_  
Caught in a bad romance  
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!  
Caught in a bad romance  
Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
Roma-roma-mamaa!  
Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!  
Want your bad romance  


__**Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah!**  
Roma-roma-mamaa!  
Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!  
Want your bad romance

**I want your ugly**  
I want your disease  
I want your everything  
As long as it's free  
I want your love  
 _**(Love-love-love I want your love)** _

Taking Rachel's now former place at center stage, Santana sang next, followed by Melina before everyone joined in on the chorus.

**I want your ugly**  
I want your disease  
I want your everything  
As long as it's free  
I want your love  
 _**(Love-love-love I want your love)** _

_You know that I want you_  
And you know that I need you  
I want it bad, bad romance  


__**I want your love and**  
I want your revenge  
You and me could write a bad romance  
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!)  
I want your love and  
All your lover's revenge  
You and me could write a bad romance

* * *

Once the chorus had ended, Holly stepped forward to begin her verse, with Tatiana and Tasha taking the second part. _  
_

_I want your horror_  
I want your design  
'Cause you're a criminal  
As long as you're mine  
I want your love  
 _**(Love-love-love I want your love-uuhh)** _ __  


**I want your psycho**  
Your vertigo shtick  
Want you in my rear window  
Baby you're sick  
I want your love  
Love-love-love  
I want your love _  
_ _**(Love-love-love I want your love)** _

* * *

Shortly after the performance ended, the seven members of Vocal Adrenaline currently on the stage were bombarded by the rest of their team, with Shelby and Jack following behind them at a slower pace.

"Nice dress, Rach," Jesse commented, taking the silver and black sunglasses off of her face.

"Thank you," Rachel replied as she turned in a circle to show off the black garment. "My Mom made it."

"So that's what the mother-daughter day was all about."

Rachel grinned up at her boyfriend before she spoke again.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Jesse laughed, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek before moving to her side and sliding his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm just glad you had fun, Rach," he told her.

"You honestly don't think I'm going to fall for that innocent routine, do you? I know you and Blaine convinced Dominic, Chris, and Noah to help you with a performance of your own."

"Oh really?" Jesse challenged with a laugh. "How do you know I'm really not innocent?"

"Because I know you better than that. I also know what kind of elaborate schemes you and your cousin come up with when left to your own devices, as evidenced by the many prom day surprises from a couple of weeks ago. You can't fool me, Jesse St. James."

"We'll just have to see about that, Miss Berry."

* * *

**"Bad Romance" performance costumes:**

Kurt = same as on the show

Rachel = second dress (the black and silver one, not the one with the beanie babies she wore for the performance on the show)

Santana = same as on the show

Melina = Quinn's pink dress

Tasha = Mercedes' silver dress

Holly = Brittany's black pants and silver top

Tatiana = Tina's bubble dress

_kasha_ is a type of cereal commonly eaten in Central and Eastern Europe (including/especially Russia)


	71. Chapter 71

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee. The OCs are mine, though.

* * *

The day before the last Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal for the seniors, Shelby wasn't surprised to find Jesse, Blaine, Dominic, Puck, and Chris missing from the group currently sitting in the auditorium. She assumed today was the day they had chosen for their performance. Turning to look at her fiancé, she asked him the same question he had asked her just a couple of days before.

"Do you know what this is all about?"

"Yes, but I'm not allowed to say anything," Jack answered with a grin, repeating the answer Shelby had given him when he'd asked her that question.

"I figured as much. I assume they were waiting for me to arrive before beginning."

"You know as well as I do that they want you here for it as much as their teammates, so, yes."

"I'm interested to find out what song they ended up choosing, and the reactions of their significant others."

"Me, too," Jack replied as he watched the five boys in question take their places on the stage. "Let's watch and find out, shall we?"

* * *

Once he and the other four boys had taken their places on the stage, Jesse gave Jack the cue to start the music, taking the first verse himself.

_Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine_  
I'm leavin' my life in your hands  
People say I'm crazy and that I am blind  
Risking it all in a glance

_And how you got me blind is still a mystery_  
I can't get you out of my head  
Don't care what is written in your history  
As long as you're here with me

__**I don't care who you are**  
Where you're from  
What you did  
As long as you love me  
Who you are  
Where you're from  
Don't care what you did  
As long as you love me

After the group finished the chorus, Blaine sang the next verse.

_Every little thing that you have said and done_  
Feels like it's deep within me  
Doesn't really matter if you're on the run  
It seems like we're meant to be

After singing with the others on the chorus again, Puck took the last verse.

_I've tried to hide it so that no one knows_  
But I guess it shows  
When you look into my eyes  
What you did and where you're comin from  
I don't care, as long as you love me, baby

* * *

Just as they had a few days before, when the group on the stage finished their performance, they were soon joined by the rest of the team, with Shelby and Jack following behind them.

"Nice performance," Rachel said with a grin as she approached her boyfriend.

"Thank you," Jesse replied with a grin. "I'm glad you liked it."

"I have to say, though, of all the songs I thought you would sing, this wasn't one of them."

"Oh really? Why is that?"

"You just never struck me as the pop music type."

"I liked the lyrics. Is that so bad?"

"It's not bad at all. I thought your performance was brilliant."

"Of course it was. I wouldn't be involved in one that was anything less."

"True."

"So…now that we've both given our individual year-end performances, shall we get the others ready for the last team performance of the year?" Jesse prompted.

"Of course," Rachel replied with a smile. "I know just the song."

* * *

After rehearsal had finished, Rachel and Jesse gathered in the auditorium with the rest of the team as they tried to agree on a song for their final performance.

"This is going nowhere," Rachel said with a sigh when she discovered the task was easier said than done.

"Jesse and Rachel are the captains, they've put in the most work this year, they should get to choose," Holly decided.

"What about the seniors? They've put in a lot of work, too," Andrea argued.

"I wasn't saying they didn't."

Tired of the arguments, Rachel stood on her chair and raised her voice the way Shelby had taught her.

"Enough!" she said, causing those who had been arguing to look at her in surprise. When she was sure she had everyone's attention, she began to speak in her normal voice again. "I wanted to do this as something nice for my Mom and Jack, and as something fun for us to do as a team. I am grateful to each and every one of you for everything you have done for this team. I know there have been a lot of changes this year, a lot of drama and new members, but we still made it work. We're still the National champions."

"That's it, that's the song," Jesse said from beside her, eliciting a confused look in return.

" _We are the Champions_ ," Andrea clarified, catching on to Jesse's train of thought. "We wanted to sing it at a competition, but Shelby always said no. She'd probably get a kick out of the fact that we chose that song to sing."

"She probably would," Rachel agreed. "Is that our song, then?"

Looking around the room, Jesse saw the rest of the team was nodding in agreement. Turning back to his girlfriend, he gave her the answer.

"It seems to be. Let's agree on that before someone changes their mind."

"We'll sing in a couple of days. The seniors have graduation on Friday, so Thursday is their last rehearsal."

* * *

"Did you cancel rehearsal without telling me?" Jack inquired as he took a seat next to Shelby in the empty auditorium.

"No. Rachel left me a note saying the team had something they wanted to show us before rehearsal today," Shelby answered.

"Another performance?"

"I'm not sure. She didn't say."

"You seem sad."

"I always get sad this time of year. I've known most of the seniors since they were freshmen. I've seen them grow as people and as performers."

"I understand. Let's enjoy the performance, though, okay? You know they'll all be disappointed if we don't."

Shelby nodded, lacing her fingers with Jack's as she waited for the music to begin. Once it did, she couldn't help but smile. She knew the song well, knew how many times she'd been asked if they could perform it. She was happy they had a chance to do it now.

* * *

Once the music started, Jesse and Rachel stepped forward to begin the song, singing the first part themselves before the rest of the team joined them for the chorus.

_I've paid my dues_  
Time after time.  
I've done my sentence  
But committed no crime.  
And bad mistakes ‒  
I've made a few.  
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face  
But I've come through.

__**(And I need just go on and on, and on, and on)**  
We are the champions, my friends,  
And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end.  
We are the champions.  
We are the champions.  
No time for losers  
'Cause we are the champions of the world.

* * *

After the performance, the team was happy to see Shelby and Jack applauding them as they approached.

"So, what did you think?" Rachel wondered as she hugged her mother.

"I did wonder if Jesse would find a way to sing this song before he graduated," Shelby admitted with a laugh. "However, I liked the performance and I'm hoping you taped it so I can watch it again sometime."

"Of course we did," Jesse told her as she hugged him.

"We know better," Holly said with a grin for her aunt.

"Plus, there are others who want to see the performance for themselves," Melina added.

"It was a wonderful performance," Shelby told them, "and I'm happy that you found a way to sing this song after all."

"Me, too," Jesse replied, eliciting laughter from the rest of the team and playful punch on the arm from his girlfriend.

* * *

The next day, as she was sitting at the front desk of the dance studio, Tasha was attempting to tidy it up when she heard the bell on the top of the door ring, followed by a familiar voice.

"Aunt Talia wasn't kidding when she said she re-decorated this place."

"What are you doing here, Aiden?" she questioned.

"I haven't seen you in a few weeks, so I thought I'd stop by and say hi," Aiden answered.

"I'm kind of busy."

"Why aren't you at the graduation ceremony?"

"Um…because it's only for family members of the graduates? I'll go to the grad parties, though."

"Do you need help with anything?"

"No. You can tell Alec I'm fine, by the way."

"Alec didn't send me. No one did. I was in the area, and like I said, I haven't seen you in a few weeks, so I thought I would stop by and say hi."

"I asked my parents for more responsibility here. I have to prove to them I can handle it by myself."

"I'm sure they wouldn't have left you here alone if they didn't think they could trust you."

"I just want this night to be over so I can go home and eat something. I don't have time to go anywhere and nothing I can order in sounds appetizing."

"Do you want me to get you something to eat?" Aiden volunteered. "I was going to get take-out from that Greek place down the street, but I can get you something else if you want."

"Actually, that sounds good. Do you mind?"

"No. Just write down what you want and I'll bring it to you."

Tasha nodded, quickly jotting down the food she wanted and then handing it to the older boy. When she tried to give him money, he put it back in her hand.

"My treat," he told her, shaking his head when she opened her mouth to speak again. "No arguing, Natasha Alexandra."

"You're talking to the wrong person, Aiden Nicolai."

"Trust me, I know," he told her with a laugh before walking away.

"You know him?" another voice Tasha knew well asked as he approached.

Turning to her former dance partner and old friend, Tasha nodded before explaining simply, "Hi, Fabian, and yes, I know him. That's Aiden."

"Ah."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing. It's just nice to put a face with a name."

"Whatever you say."

* * *

After the graduation ceremony and the requisite picture taking that followed, Jesse, Dominic, and Melina joined their friends and families for dinner at  _Prime Thyme_.

"Where's Tasha?" Melina asked her boyfriend as they waited for their food.

"At the dance studio. Mari couldn't get a flight out until tomorrow, and Ana and Dmitry aren't old enough to watch the studio by themselves, so Tasha volunteered to do it. She said Dad and Mama deserved to have the night off for a change."

"She's by herself?"

"Not completely, she has Fabian there with her. Plus Mama mentioned to Aiden that she'd re-decorated recently and he should let her know what she thinks, so I'm sure he'll stop by at some point."

"I didn't think Aiden cared about interior decorating."

"He doesn't. That wasn't the reason she made the comment."

"Ah, so that's where your twin sister gets her penchant for matchmaking from."

Alec laughed as he nodded.

"Yes, it is. I overheard her and Aunt Katya saying how cute they thought Aiden and Tasha would be together."

"Sounds like them," Melina agreed with a smile. "You seem to be on board with it yourself."

Alec shrugged before he spoke again.

"I just want them both to be happy. If that's with each other, then so be it. I really thought prom would be a lot more awkward, but it wasn't. I'll have to get used to them being affectionate with each other, though."

"Good. I'm sure they'll both appreciate the support. Now the question is how long will it take them to figure out what we already know is, as Jesse and Rachel say, inevitable?"

"I have no idea, but it should be interesting to watch."

* * *

"Why are you so quiet tonight?" Jesse asked Rachel once they had ordered their food.

"It's your night, I'm letting you have the limelight," Rachel answered.

"I don't need you to be un-Rachel-like in order to have the limelight."

"I'm nervous about who my new co-captain is going to be, too."

"It's going to be Blaine. Maybe Puck. Either way, it's going to be fine."

"Doesn't the team vote on it?"

"Yes, but I already talked to most of them or they've told me that they're going to pick Blaine. Some have said they're going to pick Puck. Though I don't think he really wants to be co-captain."

"It's not his cup of tea," Rachel agreed. "I do enjoy singing with him, though."

"You two sound good together. Your voices complement each other. I'm sure you'll have more duets next year."

"I hope so."

"You know as well as I do that there are a grand total of four people he would do absolutely anything for-his mother, his sister, Santana, and you. If it's important to you, he'll do it."

"That's true."

"I am interested in what the end result will be, so you'll have to keep me posted."

"I will. Even when you're off at college, you won't be able to fully escape Vocal Adrenaline."

"I could always make a surprise visit if needed."

Rachel laughed as she shook her head.

"I think we'll be okay, but I'll keep that in mind."

"So," Jesse began, changing the subject. "I was thinking we should have another movie night soon. It's been a while since the last one."

"Maybe once we get back from France," Rachel agreed. "We should talk to the others about it."

"Well, Kurt and Blaine will be on board with it for sure."

"That's true. They can help us convince the others."

Jesse laughed, pressing a kiss to Rachel's cheek before he spoke again.

"Now there's the Rachel I know and love."

* * *

When he returned to the dance studio, Aiden was surprised to find that Tasha wasn't at the desk. Setting the food down, he went in search of her, following the sound of the music he figured must be coming from her phone.

"Natasha?" he called, continuing down the hall towards the small storage room in the back of the studio.

"In the storage room!" she called back.

Walking into the room, Aiden couldn't help but laugh. She was sitting in the middle of the room with boxes all around her.

"Is this your attempt at organization?" he inquired.

"Shut up," Tasha snapped, though she couldn't help but smile. "I'm trying to figure out my sister's organization system. I've concluded that she doesn't have one."

"You're just figuring that out?"

"Well, no, but I thought she might have one for this stuff, since Mama is so insistent on being organized and all."

"I take it Marina was put in charge and told your mother not to worry about it?"

"Yeah. I already told Mari that I'm mad at her for leaving me with this."

"Didn't you volunteer to do this?"

"Yes, but I didn't think it would be this difficult. Fabian already left; otherwise I'd have him help me. There are boxes I can't reach and the only stepladder I can find is this old wobbly one that I don't trust."

"Come on, let's eat and then I'll help you. If you're nice, I may even get those boxes down for you."

"I'm always nice," Tasha retorted as she stood, carefully stepping over the items she'd already taken out of the boxes until she reached the spot where Aiden stood.

"Whatever you say, Natasha," Aiden replied, following her back to the front desk.

* * *

"Mama, I'm home," Aiden said as he walked into the living room of his parents' house later that night.

"You were gone for quite a while," Katya commented.

"I stopped by the studio. Natasha needed help re-doing Marina's so-called organizational system."

"You got that accomplished in one night?"

"No, but we got a start on it. Which I guess is better than where she was when I found her."

"When you found her?"

"Yeah. I went to get food, and when I came back, I found her in the middle of the back storage room with boxes all around her."

"I see. Well, it was nice of you to help."

"She's my friend. Of course I'd help."

"She's more than just a friend to you, you told me so yourself," Katya reminded him, immediately realizing her mistake when she saw her son's face change from happy to sad. "Honey, I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm going to bed. 'Night, Mama," Aiden said before leaving the room and quickly making his way to his bedroom, grateful he didn't pass his father and that his brother wasn't home yet.

* * *

"Was that Aiden's voice I heard?" Colin inquired as he took a seat on the couch next to his wife.

"Yes. He went to see Tasha."

"So? They're friends. Why shouldn't he go see her?"

"He's in love with her. I thought I told you that?"

"You told me he took her to prom, went along with her friends' plans, but you didn't tell me he was in love with her. I can't say I'm completely surprised, though."

"I'm fairly certain she feels the same way, but they're both so stubborn that they won't admit to the other how they feel. So they act like they're just friends."

"Did she say something to upset Aiden?"

"No. I did. I reminded him of his feelings."

"He has to face them sooner or later."

"You don't sound sympathetic. This is our baby, Colin. He's hurting and there's nothing I can do."

"I know. I hate the thought of him being in pain just as much as you do, but he and Tasha have to work this out for themselves. We can't do anything to interfere, as much as I know both you and Talia want to."

"Do you think they'll admit their feelings?"

"One or the other will end up spitting it out sooner or later," Colin answered. "My guess is Aiden will be the first to do it, but I could see it being either one of them."

Katya sighed as she laid her head on her husband's shoulder.

"I guess at least it'll be an interesting story to tell them later, when they wonder why they kept their feelings from each other for as long as they did."

"That's the spirit."

* * *

"Are you ready for France?" Dominic asked as he and Holly settled down to watch a movie later that night.

"Of course. I have to pack yet, obviously, but other than that, I'm ready. I'm glad you get to come with."

"Me, too. My mom said she'd meet us at the airport. I'm looking forward to spending some time with her."

"She has meetings there, is that right?"

"Yeah. Just a couple each day for, I think, three days. The rest of the time is vacation. I told her she has to relax."

"It sounds like that's her plan," Holly commented.

"I hope so."

"Are things getting better between you two, then?"

"They're good right now. She asks about you every time we talk, too."

"She does?"

"Yeah. She likes you, Holl. You won her over. She says she's looking forward to getting to know you better."

"Wow. I mean, that's good, but wow. I didn't expect that."

"Me, neither."

"You know, it's really only a few months that we have to be apart-since I'm technically a senior now and you'll be home by this time next year, plus all of the breaks in between when you'll be home. Then I start college in New York, granted I get in somewhere."

"I'm sure you will. Shelby does whatever she can to help the members of the team get into the colleges they want."

"But I'm not going for anything performance-arts related."

"Doesn't matter. She'll still help you however she can, especially considering you're her niece."

"That's true. I don't want to think about school right now, though. I have another week left, while you're already done until fall. I want to relax with you and watch the movie."

"Your wish is my command," Dominic replied with a grin as he pressed the button on the remote to begin the movie they had chosen.

* * *

songs:

1\. As Long as You Love Me by the Backstreet boys

2\. We Are the Champions by Queen


	72. Chapter 72

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee, just my OCs.

* * *

Walking into the kitchen, Talia was surprised to see both of her daughters that still lived at home sitting and talking together. It wasn't unusual for Tatiana as they affectionately referred to her as the family early bird since she was often up early, but it was well-known that Tasha liked to sleep in whenever possible.

"Good morning," she greeted.

"Morning, Mama," Tasha and Tatiana replied simultaneously.

"You're up awfully early for a Saturday, Tasha," Talia commented.

"I said the same thing when I saw her," Tatiana agreed.

After shooting her sister an annoyed look, Tasha turned to her mother before she spoke.

"I need to finish going through Marina's supposed organization system before we get the new stuff for the shop this week. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to get up early and go over to the studio for a while before I meet Holly at the mall later."

"I guess I can't complain about that. Your dad and I will be in later this morning. We have some applications to go through. We need to start arranging for interviews so we can finalize our summer dance schedule."

"Are both Mari and Alec coming home for the summer?" Tatiana asked, knowing her older siblings often taught classes over the summer for extra money.

"Alec will be here for the entire summer, as he isn't moving into the new apartment until August, but I'm not sure about Marina. I know she and Edmund were talking about visiting his family, too. I told her she needs to tell me if she wants to teach classes this summer by the end of the week. I'm sure she'll be here for a few weeks, anyway."

"She'll be here as long as it takes for her to make sure Tasha and Aiden get together," Tatiana theorized, earning another glare from her sister.

"Can we please have  _one_  conversation that doesn't somehow circle back to him?" Tasha requested as she crossed her arms across her chest in annoyance.

"Oh, come on, Tasha, we all know you like him. It's written all over your face every time you look at him."

"Aiden is a family friend, nothing more."

"He's in town for the next few days looking for apartments. You could help him."

"He already found an apartment."

"Nope. He looked at it, but never actually decided that was the one he wanted. Aunt Katya convinced him to look at places closer to here."

"How do you know all of this?"

"He told me."

"You know, since you know so much about him, maybe  _you_  should be the one to be with him," Tasha told her before standing up and walking out of the room. When she slammed the door on her way out of the house a few minutes later, both Talia and Tatiana winced.

* * *

By the time she got to the studio, Tasha felt a little better, but not much. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she made her way inside, doing her best to avoid contact with anyone. It wasn't until she got to the front desk that she had to put on a smile and act like nothing was bothering her.

"Hi, Lydia," she greeted as she walked behind the desk.

"Hi, Tasha," the older girl returned. "You're here early."

"I have to try and make sense of my older sister's supposed organization system. I figured I'd get an early start on it since I'm not doing anything until later."

"You're awfully dedicated."

"I'm trying to help my parents and show them I'm serious about it."

"Well, good luck, and let me know if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks," Tasha replied before taking her supplies and walking down the hall towards the storage room.

* * *

Walking down the hall to the room her mother and soon-to-be-stepfather shared, Rachel knocked on the door, hoping one or both of them would still be there.

"Good morning, Rachel," Jack greeted as he opened the door. "If you're looking for your mom, she went to run some errands, but she should be back soon."

"I was hoping to talk to both of you at the same time, but I can talk to her later. Do you have a minute?"

"Of course," Jack replied, opening the door the rest of the way so that Rachel could enter the room. Once they had settled on the bed and desk chair respectively, he spoke again. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm just worried about who the next male lead of Vocal Adrenaline will be. I don't even know  _why_  I'm so worried. Jesse has already told me I have nothing to worry about, and it's not that I don't believe him, it's just like I  _can't_. I keep getting this nagging feeling that it's not going to go as I had planned and that scares me," Rachel blurted, her words becoming more rushed as she continued to speak.

"Okay, first of all, take a deep breath," Jack told her, waiting until she'd done as he requested before speaking again. "Now, about Vocal Adrenaline…Jesse is right-you have  _nothing_  to worry about. Are you nervous about possibly relying on someone you don't know? That they won't be as dedicated as you and Jesse were?"

"I honestly don't know. If I knew what I was feeling, I could figure out how to deal with it."

"It's okay to be nervous, Rachel. You know that, right?"

"Jesse said the same thing," Rachel admitted, "but yes, I know."

"So what part of having a new male lead scares you the most?"

Rachel was silent for a minute as she thought about the question.

"I guess I'm nervous it's going to be someone I don't know at all. I know it's going to happen on Broadway, especially when I first start out, but this isn't Broadway. It's a high school show choir. It's just that this is my ticket out of Ohio. My chance at a scholarship. I don't expect to get a full-ride like Jesse did, although that'd be nice, but at least  _something_. It's important to me to get into a good school."

"I understand. I can't think of anyone on the team who wouldn't help you. They made you co-captain shortly after you joined. The only other person to accomplish that is Jesse. That being said, your mom and I have final approval on the choice of your new co-captain. We would never let someone who wouldn't be a good co-captain, a good co-lead, have that position."

"Jesse said he knew that I was the one he wanted for his co-captain the minute I joined the team. I don't know who I want to be my co-captain now that Jesse graduated," Rachel revealed.

"You and Jesse are very much alike and connected very quickly. That doesn't happen very often. The biggest concern your mom and I have is your comfort level. If you're not comfortable with your co-captain, then you need to tell us."

"But I should still have  _some_  idea of who I want to be my co-captain, shouldn't I?"

"Not necessarily. I don't think anyone on the team would necessarily be a bad choice, although I think there are some that are better than others."

"I need to decide who to vote for and I'm torn between two people. Both of whom I care about very much and whom I don't want to hurt by choosing one over the other."

"Who are these two?" Jack wondered, though he had a feeling he already knew.

"Blaine and Noah. Blaine is so much like Jesse, but Noah and I have been friends for years. I have proven harmonies with both. I adore Blaine, but I'm kind of leading towards Noah. Blaine is the better dancer, but I feel like Noah has the better voice. Both are about as new to the team as I am, so neither has seniority working in their favor. Jesse said almost everyone he's talked to or has said anything to him is choosing one or the other. My vote could be the deciding vote."

"Forgive me for asking this," Jack began, "but do you think Puck would  _want_  to be co-captain?"

Rachel was once again silent as she thought about Jack's question. When she arrived at her answer, she spoke again.

"I think he'd do it for me. I know he has what it takes to be a good leader, he just doesn't have the same determination that Jesse and I do. That doesn't mean he wouldn't be a good leader, though."

"That's true," Jack agreed.

"What do you think?"

"About Puck being a leader?"

"Yes."

"I think you put it best. He has what it takes; it's just a matter of whether or not he wants to do it. I also believe he'd do it for you, but he needs to  _want_  it for himself, too. Otherwise he'll end up feeling obligated and that's not a position anyone wants to find themselves in."

"Do you think I should talk to him before we vote on Monday?"

"That's up to you. Even if he doesn't end up being the one chosen for co-captain, I think he'd like to know how much faith you have in him. Sometimes it's just nice to hear someone say that they believe in us."

"I know the feeling," Rachel told him. "I'll call Noah and tell him we need to have a Jew-to-Jew talk, as he calls it."

"Do you want me to have your mom find you if I see her before you do?"

"Yes. I'd still like her opinion, although you've been a big help."

"I'm glad I could help. I'm always here if you need me. You know that, right?"

Rachel smiled as she stood to hug the man she already thought of as family.

"Yes, I know, but as you said, sometimes a reminder is nice," she replied.

* * *

"What's that face for?" Santana asked when she saw the expression on her boyfriend's face after he finished a phone call.

"That was Rachel," Puck explained. "She said we need to have a Jew-to-Jew talk."

"Is that bad?"

"I don't know. She sounded worried about something."

"Do you think it has anything to do with the vote on Monday?"

"Probably. I told her to come over and we'd chat."

"Do you want me to stay until she gets here?"

"No, I'll be okay. You go apply for that job I know you want. Tell Tasha I said hi."

"I will," Santana promised, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek before she stood. "Are we still on for dinner and a movie tonight?"

"Yes. I'll be at your place at five, like we planned. Love you, Satan."

"Love you, too," Santana replied with a smile before leaving the room.

* * *

"All right, Berry, spill. What's going on in that head of yours?" Puck demanded once he and Rachel had settled in his room to have their talk.

"How would you feel about being my co-lead?" Rachel returned, knowing Puck would want her to get right to the point.

"Co-lead where?"

"Our show choir. Vocal Adrenaline."

"I never really thought about it," Puck admitted with a shrug. "Why do you ask?"

"Because there's a high probability that it could happen."

"Is that good or bad?"

"That depends on how you feel about it."

"I don't know if I could do it. I'm never going to on the same level as St. James."

"I know that, and I don't expect you to be. I only want you to be the best you can be. I think you could do it."

"You do?"

"Yes, Noah, I do. You're very talented. Not as talented as Jesse or me, but still. You're talented and you have a knack for getting people to listen to you. They respect you."

"That's true," Puck agreed. "But that doesn't explain why you sounded so anxious on the phone."

"I have to pick between you and Blaine, and I don't know who I'm going to pick. I don't want to have to choose, but I do. I'm leaning towards you, because as much as I adore Blaine, I'm more comfortable with you. Singing with you is like second nature. We've been doing it since we were little."

"Does Anderson know any of this?"

"No. I was planning on talking to him later, when he and Jesse get back from spending time with their grandmother."

"I'm not sure what to tell you, Rach. I never thought of myself as a leader. I'd have to think about it."

"That's another reason I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to give you time to think about it, and I wanted you to know that I'll still love you even if you decide not to be my co-captain. I still expect you to sing duets with me, but that's it."

Puck chuckled as he moved to hug his longtime friend and fellow Jew.

"I love you, too, Berry. You're like my less-annoying little sister."

This time it was Rachel's turn to laugh.

"Thanks, I think," she replied.

* * *

Walking into the dance studio, Santana looked around for her friend before approaching the front desk to ask about her whereabouts. Before she could say anything, she heard a crash followed by loud Russian words that she assumed were not considered to be at all polite.

"I was looking for Tasha, but I'm assuming she's down there somewhere?" Santana told the woman at the desk.

"Yes. Are you a friend of hers?"

"Yes. She told me to stop by and apply for a job."

"Let's go check on Tasha and then I'll get you an application. I'm Lydia, by the way."

"I'm Santana. Have you worked here long?"

"A couple of years. I took lessons here for years and now I'm working my way through college. Aunt Talia and Uncle Oliver were nice enough to give me a job here."

"You're related to Tasha?"

"Yes. She's my cousin. Her dad is my dad's brother."

"Ah, got it. I take it you don't speak Russian, then?"

"Only what I've picked up here. I know what those words mean, though, and it's not good."

"I figured as much."

* * *

Sitting up, Tasha pushed the box off her foot before attempting to stand. When she found it painful to do so, she sat back down with a sigh.

"Great. Just great," she muttered.

"Tasha, are you okay?" she heard Lydia call as she walked into the room.

"I think I twisted my ankle," Tasha replied with a sigh.

"That would explain the swearing," a new voice, one Tasha recognized as belonging to Santana, commented as she, too, entered the room.

"Come on, we'll help you to the desk and then I'll arrange for you to get a ride home," Lydia said, holding her hand out to her cousin.

"I can arrange my own ride home," Tasha snapped. "I'm seventeen, not two."

"I was trying to be helpful. Be nice or I won't help you walk," Lydia calmly replied as she and Santana stood on either side of Tasha and began to help her walk to the desk.

"I came here to apply for a job, you know, not to make sure you didn't kill yourself. I assumed you could do that all on your own," Santana teased, making both her friend and Lydia laugh.

"I guess at least I did this  _after_  prom, right?" Tasha replied.

"You wouldn't have gotten to dance like a princess if you had."

"Okay, obviously I missed something," Lydia said as she helped Tasha into a chair. "What is this about dancing like a princess?"

"Aiden was her prom date. He told her she looked like a princess. They waltzed. She danced like a princess," Santana explained.

"Aiden. Aiden McLaughlin was your prom date?" Lydia asked incredulously.

"Yes. Is that so hard to believe?" Tasha promptly replied.

"No. I'm just surprised, that's all. Apparently going away for a few months means I miss a lot."

"Well, it was kind of difficult to call you in Ireland."

"There's this thing called email."

"As interesting as this conversation is, don't you think we should at least ice her ankle for the time being?" Santana questioned, interrupting the cousins' conversation.

"I'll go get it," Lydia replied. Picking up a piece of paper, a clipboard and a pen, she handed them to Santana before speaking again. "Here's the application. You can fill it out while you keep Miss Accident Prone company. I'll be back in a few minutes."

* * *

"Is she always like that?" Santana wondered once Lydia had walked away.

"Controlling?"

"That's not the word I was thinking of. Calm, I guess. Always knows what to do."

"Yeah. She's always been that way. She's a lot like Rachel in that she's good at getting people to do what she wants them do, she's just a lot calmer and more subtle about it."

"Good to know."

"So, who do you think will be the new male lead?" Tasha asked, changing the subject.

"Not long ago, I would have said Blaine, but recent events have made me re-evaluate that statement."

"What does that mean?"

"I think we might be in for a surprise. Rachel and Puck are currently having a Jew-to-Jew talk, as he calls it."

"I repeat: what does that mean?"

"It means that Rachel hasn't decided who she's going to vote for on Monday, but she's leaning heavily towards Puck."

Tasha was silent for a few moments as she thought about the boy in question. While not the obvious choice for a new co-captain, she could see him in that role and thought he possessed many qualities that made for a good leader. There was also the fact that he knew Rachel better than anyone else currently on the team, except for maybe Kurt.

"You know, now that you say that, I could see him being a good fit for the position."

"That's what I've tried to tell him, and what I'm guessing Rachel is trying to tell him. I have no doubt that he could be a good leader. Plus he's the only other person besides Jesse who knows how to read Rachel like an open book."

"That's true," Tasha agreed. "Monday should prove to be pretty interesting, then."

"What's happening on Monday?" Lydia asked as she returned with an ice pack and elastic bandage.

"We vote on a new male lead for our show choir," Santana answered, watching the older girl place the ice pack on Tasha's ankle and then wrap the elastic bandage around it to keep it in place.

"What happened to the old one?"

"He graduated."

"Is there going to be some kind of shocking result or something?"

"It's a possibility."

"I see. I called Aunt Talia. She promised Tatiana that she'd take her driving, and Uncle Oliver and Dmitry are away on a boys' weekend, so they aren't home, but she mentioned Aiden was in town for a few days."

"Please tell me you didn't call him," Tasha pleaded.

"Of course she did, otherwise she wouldn't have mentioned it," Santana told her.

"He'll be here in a few minutes. He was on his way out the door when I called him," Lydia revealed. "He seemed pretty worried when I told him you were hurt."

"I am  _fine_ ," Tasha protested. "I twisted my ankle. That's it. I'd actually like to go back to work. I have a lot to do."

"Aunt Talia wants you to get your ankle checked out first. She said that you can come back if you get the all clear from the doctor."

"Ugh."

* * *

"Hi, Rachel," Blaine greeted as he walked into the music room. "Jesse said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes," Rachel replied, "It's about the vote on Monday."

"Okay…"

"I want you to know that no matter what happens, I still adore you and I'm looking forward to continuing to get to know you. You're still one of my good friends and I value our friendship."

"I know," Blaine assured her with a smile. "It's nice to hear, though."

"If you aren't selected for the new male lead, I'd still like you to do what you did this year-be an alternate of sorts."

"That was the plan. Don't worry, Rachel, we'll figure it all out. Then we'll take the show choir world by storm again."

"I really like the sound of that," Rachel told him with a smile.

"Me, too. I think we can accomplish that."

"I'm positive we can."

"You know Jesse would be disappointed if we didn't," Blaine reminded her with a laugh.

"That's true. He pouts when he's disappointed. Although it's cute, it's probably not something he wants the rest of the team to know."

Blaine laughed as he hugged his friend.

"I won't breathe a word about it," he promised.

* * *

When he walked into the dance studio that he knew about as well as his own home, Aiden heard the sound of laughter coming from the area near the front desk. As he got closer, he saw Santana, Lydia, and Tasha sitting and laughing together.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked as he approached.

"Hi, Aiden," Lydia greeted cheerily. "No, you're not interrupting, I was just entertaining Santana with stories about Tasha and me when we were younger."

"How many of those involve me?"

"Only a couple."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say."

"I'm hurt that you don't believe me."

"No, you're not."

"Okay, I'm not, but I am grateful that you were able to come get Miss Accident Prone over here."

"I am  _not_  accident prone," Tasha argued.

"You kind of are," Santana told her, earning a glare from Tasha in return. "Don't look at me like that. You know it's true."

Tasha sighed before turning back to the only boy in the group.

"I've been trying to convince Mama that I'm fine, I just want to get back to work, but she keeps insisting I get it checked out first."

"What did you do, anyway?"

"I feel off the stepstool."

"I told you not to use that wobbly old thing."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, you were right. Can we please move on?"

"Why didn't you just have me take that box down the other night when I took down the others?"

"Because I didn't think I'd need it. Are we done with playing twenty questions?"

"I didn't ask twenty questions. I asked two," Aiden pointed out, eliciting an annoyed glare from Tasha and laughter from both Santana and Lydia.

"Can we please get going? Mama said she and Tatiana would meet us at the emergency room."

"Why didn't they just come get you?"

"I have no idea. Lydia is the one who talked to her about it."

"But you just said you tried to convince her that you were fine."

"I did, but we didn't talk about why she couldn't come get me."

Aiden nodded, though he was still confused.

"Can you walk at all?" he asked her.

"As long as I don't put my full weight on my ankle, I'm fine."

"She probably shouldn't try to put any weight on it at all," Santana added. "It might make it worse."

"I'll be fine," Tasha assured them, making a move to stand up.

"Tasha, don't be stupid," Lydia snapped. "Let Aiden carry you. That way you won't have to put any weight on it."

"I don't  _want_  to be carried," Tasha argued.

"Yeah, well, we don't always get what we want in life," Aiden responded as he lifted her into his arms.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Aiden."

"Natasha."

"You don't need to carry me."

"I don't want you to make your injury any worse, so yes I actually do need to carry you. The worse the injury, the longer it'll take to recover."

Tasha scowled as she realized that Aiden was right. Again.

"Fine, but I get to choose the music in the car," she said.

"If that's what it takes to get you to stop arguing with everything I say, then fine, you can choose the music in the car."

* * *

Once Aiden had walked away with Tasha, Lydia turned to the other girl.

"You were right," she said.

"I told you."

"How long do you think it'll be until they figure it out?"

"Oh, they've already figured it out; they're both just too stubborn to admit anything. I give them a few weeks at the most. Between Marina and Rachel, they won't stand a chance. It should be interesting."

"You can say that again. I guess it won't be so bad working here this summer, after all. With those two around, plus my other cousins, it should be pretty interesting."

"I hope I'm around to witness it all. Plus, I really could use the money."

"I'll make sure Aunt Talia and Uncle Oliver get your application," Lydia promised.

"Thank you," Santana replied. "I better get going; I have a date tonight that I need to get ready for."

"Lucky. Well, have fun and it was nice meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you, too. Hopefully I'll see you around this summer."

* * *

"So, what was that talk with Blaine all about?" Jesse wondered as Rachel joined him in the basement.

"I am debating between voting for Blaine and voting for Noah on Monday," Rachel revealed. "I wanted to talk to them both and let them know that, no matter what happens, I still value their friendship and everything they've done for the team."

"I didn't know you hadn't decided yet."

"I told you I was worried about it."

"I know, but you didn't say anything about being conflicted about who to vote for."

"Are you mad at me for being conflicted?" Rachel asked.

"No, I'm not mad," Jesse assured her, walking over to her and pulling her into his arms before he spoke again. "I just want to make sure that you know that you can talk to me about anything."

"I  _do_  know that. I promise. I know you want Blaine to be the next male lead, and part of me agrees, but another part thinks that Noah could be a good fit for the position, too."

"As much as I would like to see Blaine get the position, I would have no problem with Puck getting it. I could see him being a good fit as long as you are the female lead. You two have been friends since you were little and your voices complement each other. Singing with him is like second-nature to you. I also know you feel comfortable with Blaine and his voice complements yours, too, so he could be a good fit, too. The most important thing is that  _you_  feel comfortable with whoever is chosen."

"That's pretty much what Jack said this morning. He also told me that he and my Mom have the power to veto the decision and pick someone else."

"That's true. I've never seen it happen, but it's true."

"I guess Monday should be pretty interesting, then."

"You'll have to let me know how it goes."

"Oh, I will."


	73. Chapter 73

**A/N:** I mention something in the story called an air cast. If you do a Google images search for it, you'll see what I'm talking about. I wore one when I had the same injury Tasha suffers from. It made wearing most shoes rather difficult, but it works well and it's easy to take on/off, plus it's rather lightweight. The stirrup-style one is what I envisioned Tasha wearing.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

"I think you need to work on being less accident-prone," Aiden commented as he followed Tasha into her house, carefully watching her to make sure she didn't fall again. She had a mild sprain, but was able to walk on her own with the use of an air cast.

"I am  _not_  accident prone," Tasha argued, though she knew he was right.

"You forget that we've known each other practically our entire lives. It was always you getting hurt somehow."

"I had to get attention somehow, right?"

"You can't seriously be telling me that you hurt yourself for attention."

"No. It's not like I enjoy getting hurt."

"At least you waited until after prom to do it."

Tasha rolled her eyes as she flopped down on the couch with a sigh.

"Yeah, but not until after school was out. How the hell am I supposed to dance with a sprained ankle?"

"Easy," Aiden answered. "You don't. I'm sure Shelby will understand. It's not like she's going to ban you from rehearsals or kick you off the team. Besides, the competitions are over until the fall. You'll be fine in a few weeks."

"Why do you always have to be right?" Tasha grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's one of my many talents," Aiden replied with a grin, earning an eye-roll from Tasha in return.

"Do you think you could get me some ice for my ankle and my laptop so I can finish my homework, oh talented one?"

"I think I can handle that."

* * *

Walking into Tasha's room, Aiden quickly located her laptop. As he approached her desk, he saw a framed picture of the two of them-the one taken before prom when their mothers insisted on getting pictures of them. He saw other pictures various places around the room as well-her with different members of the large group she now called friends, with her family, but the one of them was the only one on the desk. Shaking his head to clear the thought that it could mean something, he quickly grabbed the laptop and its charger before heading back downstairs.

* * *

When he walked back into the living room, Aiden saw that Tasha was busy texting someone, he assumed either Holly or Marina, possibly her mother.

"Here's your laptop," he said, gaining her attention.

"Thank you," she told him with a smile.

"Are you hungry?"

"Kind of. Are you offering to cook?"

"I might be able to whip something up. I'll peruse the fridge while I'm in the kitchen and let you know."

"There's probably not much. Mama and Tatiana are running errands today-including grocery shopping."

"If I can't find something, I'll either go get us food or we'll order it."

"You really don't have to stay here with me," Tasha insisted, though she secretly wanted him to.

"Someone has to make sure you don't worsen your injury," Aiden responded with a wink. "Besides, I find that you are one of the few people I don't mind being around lately, and I wanted your opinion on something anyway."

"I don't know what I could possibly help you with, but okay, whatever you say."

"I'll fill you in once we figure out the food situation," Aiden promised before he walked into the kitchen.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Dominic asked as he saw the frown on his girlfriend's face.

"If Tasha wouldn't live up to her Miss Accident Prone nickname, it would," Holly replied, tossing her phone back onto her bed.

"What are you talking about?"

"She fell and sprained her ankle in the process. This is the second summer in a row that she's injured herself. Last year it was only her wrist, but still."

"She never struck me as clumsy."

"She's not usually. It's just when she is, she usually manages to injure herself."

"Did she say how it happened?"

"Stepstool at the studio. The one Aiden specifically told her  _not_  to use because it was unstable."

"She's okay, though, right?"

"She's fine. Annoyed, but fine."

"At least competitions for the year are over," Dominic said, trying to cheer her up but unsure how. "Can you really be mad at her for an accident?"

"I just wish she'd  _listen_. She's so determined to do everything herself."

"Sounds like someone else I know. Sounds like most people, actually."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Holly flopped onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She heard Dominic chuckle and then felt him take her hands to pull her up into a sitting position.

"Do you want to go see her?" he asked.

"She's with Aiden. I love both of them to death, but right now I just want to bash their heads together."

"Because they won't admit what we all know to be true?"

"Yes! I mean, I know it took us a while, but we weren't this stubborn."

"We also hadn't known each other since childhood and considered each other like a sibling most of our lives. Imagine waking up one day and realizing that you have romantic feelings for the person who was not only like your sibling, but also either your brother's best friend, or in Aiden's case, your best friend's little sister."

Holly was silent for a few moments as she processed what Dominic was saying.

"I hate it when you make good points," she grumbled good-naturedly, eliciting a laugh from Dominic.

"Come on, let's go out and do something, take your mind off of Tasha and Aiden. I think that movie you wanted to see is out now."

"I thought you wanted to stay in today?"

"I changed my mind."

"Are you sure? I know you didn't really want to see the movie."

"I've been wrong before."

"It's not my turn to pick the movie. It's yours."

"Okay, fine, then my pick is the movie I know you have been looking forward to seeing."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now let's go or we won't make it to the theater in time to get good seats," Dominic insisted, tugging on Holly's hands again to get her to stand up.

"Can I drive?" she asked as they left her room.

Dominic laughed, knowing she was asking the question to remind him of the first trip they took together, stopping for a quick kiss before he answered.

"No."

* * *

"I think I found a place for us to go next weekend," Jesse announced as he walked into Rachel's room.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, looking up from the homework she'd been working on. "Where's that?"

"It's a new, all-ages karaoke place. It's just a few blocks from Carmel."

"Do you think the others will go for it, though? Besides Kurt and Blaine, I mean."

"I don't know. I guess we could always save it for a time when it's just the four of us. You could probably convince Santana and Puck to go, too."

"I guess it's an option, anyway. If we can't all agree, we'll do something else," Rachel decided with a shrug. "You know, if we're going to be singing duets in front of others, I think we should rehearse a few songs first. It's been a while since we've been able to sing together and I need a break from my homework."

"I'm never going to turn down the chance to sing with you," Jesse reminded her. "Lead the way."

With a smile, Rachel stood and walked over to her boyfriend, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together before leading him back downstairs to the basement, where they had their own karaoke set-up.

* * *

"You want to be a chef and all you can manage to make is sandwiches?" Tasha asked in disbelief as Aiden handed her the plate.

"Hey, you said yourself there wasn't much to work with. I figured you'd need something to tide you over until the real food gets here," Aiden replied as he set a plate of his own down on the coffee table and then began to walk towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To get my laptop. It's in my car. Find something for us to watch while we wait for the food."

With a shrug, Tasha did as Aiden requested. She was still flipping channels when he walked back in a couple of minutes later.

"You're worse than my dad," Aiden complained as he sat next to Tasha on the couch.

"You choose, then," she said, handing him the remote.

* * *

Once the two had decided on a TV show and eaten their sandwiches, they each pulled out their laptop and began to work on their individual projects while they waited for the food. Glancing over at Aiden's screen, Tasha saw him scrolling through the website of a local apartment complex.

"I'm sorry the first apartment you picked fell through," she told him.

"It wasn't that great, anyway. It was just the only one available at the time for what I could afford, but thanks, I guess."

"Have you actually seen any of these places?"

"No. I need to narrow it down to like two or three and then I'll go look at them. I don't really care about the fancy extras; I just want a nice place that I can afford. It's making it difficult to narrow it down."

"Where's your list?"

Pulling up a document he had saved, Aiden turned the computer screen towards the girl at his side.

"How many of those have vacancies?" she asked.

"All of them. The one my mom likes doesn't have anything until July."

"You could always just live at home for a month. It's not like your parents are going to kick you out or anything."

"I love my parents, but I don't really want to live at home."

"Even if it means getting a great apartment?"

Aiden shrugged, repeating his earlier words. "I just want a nice place I can afford."

"You're such a boy," she told him, setting her own laptop aside to take Aiden's and place it in her lap. "Let me help you."

With a small smile, Aiden watched her go through the information on the different complexes before helping him narrow it down to the three he wanted to look at.

* * *

At school the following Monday, Tasha scowled to herself as she was forced to walk slower than she normally did. She kept hearing her mother's words in her head-be careful, walk slow, watch your steps, etc. She was actually kind of grateful when she saw Puck come up beside her and take her bag.

"Heard you fell this weekend," he said as they began to walk together.

"Unfortunately," Tasha replied with a sigh. "I spent the weekend inside with my foot elevated and being iced."

"How is it feeling today?"

"A little better every day. I'm actively trying not to do anything to re-injure myself."

"Did you talk to Shelby yet?"

"Yeah. I called her yesterday. She said I'm welcome to attend rehearsal, but I don't have to."

"You're going to today's, aren't you?"

"Of course. I plan on making a full recovery, which means I'll still be on the team next year. I want a say in who becomes co-captain. Have you decided whether or not you want it to be you?"

Puck shrugged his shoulders before he answered.

"If it were anyone but Berry, I'd say that I didn't want it. Not that I would slack off or anything, she'd kill me if I dared even think about it, but I know I won't be pulling all the weight. I know she won't take credit for something she didn't do."

"I can't see Rachel doing something like that."

"She wouldn't. I know that. We've supported each other since we were kids, so that wouldn't be anything new."

"So why the hesitation?"

"I don't know if I can do it. With football and everything."

"I think you can, and I'm sure Rachel does, too. Whatever you decide, you're still a friend and part of the team," Tasha reminded him.

"Speaking of friends, I heard you spent the Saturday with the newest member of our group."

"Can we not bring him into this?"

"I just have one thing to say and then I won't bring it up again."

"Okay…"

Puck took a breath before he spoke again.

"If you like him the way you seem to, the way Berry and Satan claim that you do, I think you should take a chance and tell him how you feel. I know that's easier said than done, but he needs to know. You can't keep pretending, Tasha, it's not doing either of you any good. I saw the way you two were at prom. When we were planning those surprises, he was willing to do it all, no questions asked. It was for you, so he did it. I think those actions speak for themselves."

"He's a great guy, I know that, and the more time I spend with him, the more tempted I am to just blurt out how I feel. It's just…I don't want to lose him. We've gotten so close over the last few months. He just gets me. I've never had that before."

"I get it. It's the same with me and Santana. Sometimes it's like she's in my head. It's freaky."

"Right?"

"It's also kind of nice. I don't have to spell everything out all the time. I think it means we're supposed to be together. It's just something to think about."

Tasha nodded, taking her bag back from Puck once they stopped at her locker.

"Thanks for the talk...and for carrying my bag."

"Sure. Do you need help getting to your first class?"

"No, I think I can handle it, but thank you. I'm just waiting for Holly so we can walk to our first class."

"She's talking with Berry and Satan. I'll send her over," Puck told her before walking towards the group of girls standing just down the hall.

* * *

At rehearsal later that afternoon, each member of Vocal Adrenaline was handed a piece of paper and a pen in order to write down their vote for the new co-captain.

"Did you make a decision yet?" Holly asked her cousin, who was currently biting her lip as she contemplated which name to write on her piece of paper.

"I thought I did, but now I'm not sure," Rachel replied.

"If I were you, I'd vote for whoever I felt most comfortable with. You're the one who will be singing and dancing with this person."

Rachel nodded, waiting for her cousin to turn her attention back to her own piece of paper before writing down the name of her choice.

* * *

"You're not voting for yourself?" Kurt commented as he noticed his boyfriend had written down the name of someone else.

"No," Blaine answered. "I know I could do it, and I know Jesse wants me to, but I think this person is someone who would be better suited to the position."

"I can't really argue with that logic, but I'm not changing my vote."

"I wouldn't want you to. You should vote for whoever you want to."

"Even if you don't win, you're still going to be an alternate, right?"

"Yeah. Rachel said herself that she wants me to continue to be one if I don't end up as her co-captain. So, either way, I may still end up singing a competition number with her."

"You do share our previous male lead's love of Broadway, so you're probably right."

* * *

A little while later, after collecting and counting the votes, Shelby and Jack walked onto the stage to make the announcement.

"Rachel, come here, please," Shelby requested.

Already knowing that she was going to see the result before anyone else, Rachel stood and walked onto the stage.

"It's Noah, isn't it?" Rachel whispered to her mother.

"Only if you want it to be," Shelby replied.

"I want it to be."

"Then go ahead and make the announcement," Jack told her with a smile.

Rachel returned his smile before turning to her teammates and announcing the results.

"Noah Puckerman, your presence on stage is required," she said.

Confused, but figuring his friend was obviously up to something or had some kind of plan, Puck quickly joined Rachel on the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your captains," Jack announced.

"Congratulations, Noah," Rachel said excitedly as she hugged her friend and new co-captain, her excitement growing when the rest of the team joined them on stage to celebrate.

* * *

"Did Holly text you yet?" Melina asked as she and Dominic sat in the living room eagerly awaiting the results of the vote.

"No, not yet," Dominic replied. "What about Tasha?"

"Nothing. She'd probably text Aiden first, anyway. Lately it's been all Aiden this and Aiden that."

"That's fascinating."

"Oh, stop being such a boy," Melina retorted as she threw a pillow at him. "You're my brother and I love you, but sometimes I wonder about you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that Holly keeps telling me about these nice, romantic things you do and yet you act like you have no idea what romance is."

"She's my girlfriend. Am I not supposed to do romantic things for her?"

"That's not the point."

"I want Tasha to be happy, and I agree with your assessment that Aiden is perfect for her, but I don't really want to hear all about it."

"Doesn't Holly talk about it?"

"She mostly rants about it, but I guess that would qualify as talking."

"Are you telling me that you don't listen to her?"

"Of course I listen to her. If she thinks I'm not listening, she'll switch to French so I have to pay attention to her in order to respond."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Melina replied with a laugh. She was stopped from saying anything else by the sound of both her and Dominic's cell phones dinging, telling them they had messages.

"Wow," Dominic said in surprise when he read the message.

"Wow about covers it, yeah."

"I honestly thought it would be Blaine. That was Jesse's plan."

"I wonder what Jesse thinks."

"I think he saw it coming. At least that's what Holly made it sound like."

"I suppose. His girlfriend  _is_  the current female lead."

* * *

"So…what's the verdict?" Genevieve asked her brother as he sat in the living room of their childhood home.

"Puck won," Jesse replied.

"Are you mad?"

"No. I would have liked Blaine to win, but I also know that Puck is who Rachel wanted as her co-captain. Blaine will still be an alternate, able to fill in if needed, sing Broadway duets with Rachel when I can't."

Detecting a hint of frustration in her brother's last sentence, Genevieve took a seat next to him before she spoke again.

"I know you aren't looking forward to leaving her," she began, placing a hand on his arm, "but she wouldn't want you to sacrifice your scholarship, your dreams, because of her. Because you're afraid of what will happen in the next two years while she's here and you're primarily not."

"I'm not afraid," Jesse immediately replied.

"Liar."

"Okay, fine, I'm afraid. Happy now?"

"It's okay to be afraid, Jesse," Genevieve reminded him. "However, there's not a doubt in my mind that you two can make it work. You've already been planning the times when you'd be able to visit one another. She wouldn't have to travel alone either-she has a friend who has a sibling there and a cousin who has a boyfriend that will be there."

"You know, I think you might be getting better at this big-sister thing."

Genevieve laughed, shaking her head at him before she spoke.

"Smart ass," she said, eliciting a laugh from Jesse in return.

* * *

As she was texting Melina while the others were still on stage with Rachel and Puck, Tasha noticed Shelby take a seat beside her.

"How's your ankle feeling?" she asked.

"A little better," Tasha replied. "I'm trying to be extra careful so I don't make it worse."

"I'm sure you'll be good as new in no time."

"I hope so."

"You know, you don't have to stay if you don't want to. I can have Noah or someone take you home."

"Melina already said she'd come get me, but thank you."

"You're welcome. Just let me know if you need anything else."

"I was actually hoping to get your opinion on something."

"Rachel said she thought something was bothering you, but she wasn't sure how to help you."

"She did?"

"You're her friend, she cares about you, and therefore she makes sure to pay close attention to how you're feeling. Now, what's on your mind?"

"Once my ankle heals, I was wondering if I'd be able to help choreograph a competition number, or at least one for the Invitational-like Melina and Dominic did."

"I think that could work," Shelby answered with a smile. "I'll talk to Jack about it and let you know. I can't really see him objecting, though."

* * *

"Who are you texting?" Melina asked as she and Tasha settled in the latter's room a short while later. "You haven't put your phone down since I picked you up."

"Aiden. He's trying to convince me to go look at apartments with him. He's almost 21 years old, you'd think he could pick out his own apartment," Tasha answered.

Melina smiled, holding back the words she wanted to say as she thought they might make her friend start to panic and stop any progress she had made with Aiden over the last few days.

"Maybe he just wants a second opinion from someone he knows will be honest. His best friend is in New York, and Alec's busy with finals and work right now, so he can't fly home to help. Seeing an apartment in person is so much better than via pictures," she theorized.

"That's true," Tasha agreed.

"I still think you should just tell him how you feel."

" _I_  still think I should save myself the humiliation by keeping it to myself until my feelings go away."

"I get the feeling that there's a second part to that sentence that you're not saying."

Tasha sighed, leaning back onto the pillows behind her before she spoke again.

"I can't seem to say no to spending time with him, no matter how much I want to save myself the heartache I feel afterwards. I don't want him spending time with anyone else. I want all of his attention."

"Don't you think that means something?"

"I don't know. It freaks me out. I don't really want to talk about it anymore."

"Okay, then how about you help me figure out how to convince Alec to come home for the summer instead of flying back and forth."

"Oh, that's easy," Tasha replied with a wave of her hand. "We ask Mama and Aiden to bring the idea up to him, give him reasons why it would be a good idea. If they can't convince him, we'll call Marina."

"That's kind of what I was thinking," Melina agreed. "Do you think it'll work?"

"I honestly don't think we'll have to call Mari, and we could probably get Mama alone to convince him, but I think he'll jump at the chance to spend more time with his best friend before they start classes in separate states in the fall."

"Then I think we should begin our plan."

Tasha shared a grin with her friend before she picked up the phone and dialed Aiden's number. She knew her brother liked his life in New York, but she still missed him. As much as she annoyed her, she even missed Marina. It was just kind of nice to have all of her siblings around sometimes. It reminded her of the many good times they had shared together growing up.

* * *

**A/N 2:**  So, I make reference to an all-ages karoke place in Akron, which was inspired by northstar61's "Someone to Love You", but my plan for it isn't quite the same. I'll just say that Jesse has a surprise in store for Rachel and he may have been enlisted to help by a certain group of parents. :)


	74. Chapter 74

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee (I wish. If I did, the horrible spoilers for S6 wouldn't exist)

* * *

"I still can't believe you talked me into this," Tasha grumbled as she and Aiden pulled up to the first apartment building the following Friday afternoon.

Aiden chuckled, pulling into a parking spot before turning to look at the girl seated beside him.

"You offered," he reminded her.

"I did not. I said I would go because I was tired of hearing you talk about how you don't care what the place looks like so you didn't know how you were going to decide. Besides, I helped you narrow down your choices to these three, so I might as well help you narrow them down to one."

"I've never picked out my own place before. Alec and I found the place in New York together, and before that, I lived at home. It's just nice to have a second opinion sometimes, is that so bad?"

Tasha sighed, realizing that he made a good point and she really had no reason to be annoyed with him.

"Okay, I get that, but why me? Why not your mom or one of your other friends?" she asked.

"You're the closest friend I have here," Aiden admitted with a shrug. "Plus, I know you'll be honest with me, and like you said, you helped me narrow my choices. You're familiar with what these places offer…"

Even though she had a feeling that Aiden was leaving out a reason for wanting her along, she didn't push.

"So let's go look at place number one. Rachel suggested I bring a pen and some paper so I could take notes, so I did."

Aiden laughed again as he and Tasha got out of the car.

"I get the feeling that's something she would do."

"It is. She likes lists, too. It works for her, though, and it really was a good suggestion. This way you can remember more details and compare them later."

"She barely knows me and she's already suggesting ways to make this easier for me?"

Tasha shrugged as she and Aiden continued walking towards the rental office.

"It's just how she is. She really does have a big heart, she's just also very ambitious and isn't afraid to do whatever it takes to get where she wants to be. When I transferred to Carmel, she and Jesse accepted me, Ana, and Dmitry into their group right away. It was as if we'd always been a part of it. It was nice."

"My mom said yours told her that you seem happier at Carmel."

"I am," Tasha answered simply as she and Aiden walked into the office.

* * *

"Good morning," Rachel greeted as she saw Tasha approach her on the following Monday.

"Good morning," Tasha returned with a smile. "Aiden asked me to tell you thank you for the suggestion that we take notes, okay well, I take notes, about each apartment."

"Did it work?"

"I don't know. He hasn't made a decision yet as far as I know."

"Which one did you like best?"

"The third one. It's close to your Daddy's restaurant, not too far from his parents' house, plus it's near a grocery store and gas station. It's also the nicest one we looked at, it was just renovated and it had everything he finally decided he was looking for."

"Well, I'm glad I could help. Has Alec decided to spend the summer here yet?"

"Aiden and I called him on Friday as we were driving back from the third apartment building. He seemed open to the idea. I have no idea why he even changed his original plan to begin with. It's not like he'd have to worry about a job."

"Doesn't he have one in New York?"

"He works at school. They only need him during fall and spring semesters."

"What about the last couple of years?"

"Well, the summer before he started college, he spent here. Last summer he was home for a couple of weeks and then ended up finding a summer position."

"Isn't the lease on his and Aiden's apartment up soon, anyway?"

"End of June. It'll give them both time to get their stuff in order. Marina and Edmund offered to help, too. I think Alec will end up coming home. The new apartment isn't going to be ready until August anyway."

"I thought the lease was up in July?"

"They made some kind of agreement with the landlord where they would pay some kind of fee in order to get out of the lease a month early. Alec can't afford the place without Aiden and he didn't want to stop Aiden from getting a place here because he was stuck in a lease in New York."

"So what is he going to do with his stuff?" Rachel wondered.

"Put it in storage, I assume. I'm honestly not sure," Tasha answered with a shrug.

"Well, I hope things work out so he can come home."

"Me, too."

* * *

At the end of the week, after finishing the last Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal until she returned from France, Rachel was happily surprised to find her boyfriend waiting for her by her car.

"Hi," she greeted with a smile as she approached. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprising you," he replied, returning her smile. "Melina gave me a ride. Dominic tagged along, too."

"Holly will be happy. She hasn't been able to see him much this week. I was surprised they agreed to go to that karaoke place with us tonight."

"You're done with school for the summer now, which means she'll be able to spend a lot more time with him."

"That's true. Are we meeting everyone there?"

"That's the plan," Jesse answered as he and Rachel got into her car.

"Since the plan is now finalized, am I allowed to find out the name of this place?"

"No. It'll ruin the surprise."

"Please?"

"No. I want to surprise you."

"Okay, fine, but then  _I_  get to pick the location of our next date."

"I think that's fair. Deal."

"Deal," Rachel agreed, smiling as she sat back in her seat and Jesse began to drive.

* * *

Walking out of rehearsal, Holly smiled when she saw that Rachel had found Jesse. Melina had dropped the older boy off on her way to meet her dad for dinner and had confirmed their plans for the second part of Jesse's surprise. As she made her way to her own car, she was so lost in thought that she didn't see the person waiting for her until she almost ran right into him.

"I know we haven't seen each other much lately, but I didn't think I'd become invisible to you so fast," the person quipped.

Holly's head shot up as recognition hit her. She would know that voice, and the teasing tone that went with it, anywhere.

"Dominic," she breathed as she hugged him tightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he returned her hug. "You seemed kind of out of it."

"I've been trying so hard not to tell Rachel about her surprise. I know Uncle Hiram is worried she won't like it, but I'm sure she will. She kept saying that she got the feeling that Jesse was up to something, but she couldn't figure out what."

"What time are we supposed to meet them, again?"

"Seven. Why?"

"I was thinking we could go to  _Prime Thyme_  for dinner. Rumor has it that Hiram has added new items to the menu."

"You know, I heard that somewhere, too," Holly replied with a laugh. "That sounds good to me. I just need to stop home and change. How did you get here, anyway? I don't see your car."

"Lina gave me a ride, too. Jesse mentioned wanting to surprise Rachel, so I asked him if he would mind if I tagged along so I could surprise you."

"I thought you had a bunch of stuff to get done today?"

"I did, but the only thing I had to do this afternoon was picking up Liv from school and my dad got done with work early, so he went to pick her up instead."

"I'm certainly not complaining," Holly told him, tilting her face up for a kiss from Dominic before they got in the car and started to make their way to her house.

* * *

"Argh!"

Passing by her daughter's room, Talia stopped when she heard the frustrated sound from her middle daughter. Although she had a feeling she knew what was causing the frustration, she decided to give Tasha a chance to tell her herself.

"Is everything okay in here?" she asked as she knocked on the open door.

"No!" Tasha replied, sitting up on the bed where she had flopped down in frustration just moments before. "Between Aiden and Fabian I'm going to lose my mind."

"I've heard similar statements from your Aunt Sara about your Uncle Nick and your father," Talia told her. "What's going on?"

"Apparently Santana and Fabian have become fast friends, so she asked Jesse if we could invite him to Rachel's surprise party tonight, especially since he's apparently transferring to Carmel next year. So he's been pestering me all afternoon about what to wear and about my non-existent relationship with Aiden. Then Aiden himself has been bored and apparently Alec is busy with something today, so I'm the next best person to keep him entertained."

"Well, you and Aiden  _have_  grown quite close in the last few months," Talia pointed out. "He was also nice enough to keep  _you_  company for an afternoon and make sure you had everything you needed after you sprained your ankle."

"Yes, and I was nice enough to help him choose an apartment, which he's still being indecisive about by the way."

"It's not an easy decision, but maybe I'll give him a call and see if there's anything I can do to help."

"Fabian should be here soon, too, so at least I won't have to stop and text him every five minutes."

"I thought you would be happy to have another friend at Carmel," Talia commented. "Although I am surprised that he's transferring in his senior year."

"I stopped asking questions a long time ago," Tasha replied. "If he gets into Vocal Adrenaline, at least maybe I can convince Shelby to make him my dance partner. I won't have to worry about him dropping me or stepping on my toes. Although Santana might try to steal him since Puck will be dancing with Rachel. Maybe I'll at least get Blaine, then, since his dance partner graduated."

"I'm sure everything will work out just fine. Shelby seems to know what she's doing. It probably wouldn't hurt to mention that you and Fabian were dance partners when you were younger, though."

"I already did. She said Fabian could audition when she gets back from France and then she would take things from there."

"Then I wouldn't worry about it. Just have fun with your friends tonight."

Tasha nodded, walking over to her closet to begin getting ready.

* * *

"So who's all going to be at this thing?" Puck asked his girlfriend as he watched her dig in her closet for the shoes she wanted.

"Our normal group, minis Alec and Aiden, and plus Fabian," Santana answered.

Puck scowled as he thought of the other boy. He knew the guy was a friend of Tasha, Dmitry, and Tatiana, but the few times he'd met him he'd seemed a little too flirty with Santana for his taste.

"You can stop scowling," Santana said as she threw a pillow at him. "Fabian is just a friend. He's transferring to Carmel in the fall and auditioning for Vocal Adrenaline when Shelby gets back from France. I thought it would be good for him to make some friends there sooner rather than later. Sometimes I swear if I didn't know better, I'd say you were flirting with Rachel, and I've heard similar comments from Jesse, so don't start with me."

"Rachel and I have known each other since we were kids!" Puck argued. "You and this Fabian guy have known each other a couple of weeks at best!"

Santana threw up her hands before placing them on her hips and glaring at her boyfriend.

"What did you tell me about how long it took you and Rachel to become friends? A couple of days at the most, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but…"

"No buts!" Santana told him. "You said you and Rachel became fast friends because you were both Jewish, both had families that weren't what's considered to be the norm. You shared a similar culture. Fabian and I share that, too! I have no interest in him as anything other than a friend."

"I guess I didn't think of it that way," Puck admitted.

"Look, I know you and Rachel became friends when you were kids, when it wasn't so…strange…for a girl and a guy to be good friends, but I need you to believe me when I say that that's all I want from Fabian-friendship. If you would get to know him, I think you'd like him, too."

"Maybe he could help me with my salsa without making me look like a girl in the process."

Santana rolled her eyes and threw up her hands again before muttering, "boys" and walking into the bathroom to style her hair.

* * *

Following Tasha, Tatiana, and Dmitry into the basement of  _Prime Thyme_ , where there was now a full karoke set-up in place, Fabian had to admit he was impressed. The place still possessed the family friendly atmosphere that the restaurant upstairs did, but it was also clearly its own space.

"Well, what do you think?" Hiram asked once all of the teens, minus Rachel and Jesse, had had a chance to look around.

"I think it looks amazing," Melina answered.

"I agree," Tasha decided. "Did Jesse's sister decorate this space, too?"

"Yes. She did a wonderful job with the restaurant, so she was my first choice. I was just lucky that she had some time to fit it in her schedule."

"I think she would have made time even if it didn't fit in her schedule," Blaine told him. "I know she was excited that you asked her since she had been hoping to help."

"I think we should mention her to Mama," Tatiana suggested to her sister.

"What happened to the person she originally hired?" Kurt wondered.

"Mama fired her yesterday," Tasha revealed. "She wasn't happy with the end result. She isn't happy to have to spend more money re-decorating again, but at least it's only the lobby."

"I'd hate to be on the other end of that conversation," Fabian commented, earning nods of agreement from Tasha, Dmitry, and Tatiana in return.

"I hear you're going to be auditioning for Vocal Adrenaline," Hiram said to the newest member of his daughter's group of friends.

"I am. I guess tonight will give me a good idea of whether or not your daughter thinks I'm Vocal Adrenaline material."

"It's not just Rachel you have to convince, you know."

"I know, but she's one of their captains, so her opinion is highly valued."

"Well, tonight you have the chance to impress both captains, so good luck," Hiram told him with a smile before turning to the group of teens. "I'm going to go back upstairs and check on things while I wait for Rachel. Make yourselves at home and don't be afraid to let me know if you need anything."

* * *

"I still don't understand why you can't tell me where we're going," Rachel told her boyfriend as they began the drive to the location of her surprise.

"Because it would ruin the surprise," Jesse reminded her.

"You're sure I'm going to like it?"

"Positive. Now stop worrying and pick a song for us to sing on the way."

Rachel nodded, distracting herself by looking through the songs on Jesse's iPod. Once she found the one she wanted, she settled back in her seat and waited for her boyfriend to begin the song.

* * *

"Hi, friend," Tasha greeted as she took a seat next to Puck, who was currently watching Santana and Fabian as they debated over a song.

"Hi," Puck returned.

"You don't have to worry about Fabian," she told him softly. "He flirts with everyone. It's just how he is. He's been mock asking me out since we were old enough to date. He would never try to break up a relationship, though."

"How long have you known him?"

"Since we were like five, I think. It's been a long time. I'm not a twin, so my parents needed to find a dance partner for me. Fabian came in with his mother, who used to each at the studio, and we became fast friends. Then Mama discovered he could dance and that was it. He became my dance partner, which ended up working out just fine since we were friends anyway."

"How come I've never heard you mention him before?"

"We lost touch for a little while, but since we've both been spending more time at the studio, we've been able to reconnect. He's a good friend."

"Why does he want to transfer to Carmel his senior year?"

"He didn't really have a choice. It was either Carmel or Kennedy, and Carmel clearly has the better arts program. His old school closed at the end of last year. He's going to be at Carmel either way, but I really do think he'd be a good fit for Vocal Adrenaline."

"Does he sing, too?" Puck wondered.

"Yes, although he doesn't believe he's very good," Tasha answered. "We've all told him differently for years, but he just shrugs it off."

"I'm sure he'll be singing a different tune once Berry, Shelby, and Jack get a hold of him."

"You're the male lead-I'm sure your opinion matters, too."

"I wouldn't even be in this position if it weren't for Berry," Puck reminded her.

"I know, but obviously a lot of people thought you were a good fit, which is the other reason you're in this position. So stop being such a downer and have some fun. Get to know Fabian, or at least give the guy a chance."

Before either could say anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of Puck's phone.

"St. James and Berry are here," he said to the group after reading the message.

* * *

"Okay, I'm confused," Rachel said with a sigh as she watched Jesse pull into the parking lot of her Daddy's restaurant. "I already know about  _Prime Thyme_."

"Yes, but there's recently been an expansion."

"Daddy said he wasn't even thinking about expansion."

"He probably wasn't," Jesse told her. "This has been part of the plan all along. He just wanted to make sure the restaurant itself would be successful before starting on the second part of his plan."

"How do you know all of this?"

"He told me."

"So you mean to tell me that my surprise is that my Daddy opened an all ages karaoke bar in his restaurant?" Rachel asked. "I don't understand. I haven't seen any kind of construction going on and I've been here at least once a week since it opened."

Jesse chuckled, leaning over to press a kiss to Rachel's cheek before answering her.

"The building of the karaoke place was part of the original construction, but he just recently decided to finish the basement. He has enlisted us and our friends to test out the space before he officially opens it."

"Then what are we waiting for? I want to see it."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say."

* * *

When she walked into the basement of  _Prime Thyme_ , Rachel was only slightly surprised to see all four of her parents plus her and Jesse's group of friends waiting for her.

"What do you think, honey?" Leroy asked.

"I think it looks amazing," Rachel answered. "I can't wait to try out the stage. I still can't believe I didn't know anything about this, though."

"Your Daddy wanted it to be a surprise," Shelby explained. "He also didn't want to get your hopes up in case it didn't work out."

"Come on, Rach," Jesse said, squeezing the hand of hers that he was still holding. "As Santana likes to say,  _vamos a cantar_."

Rachel smiled and nodded as she followed her boyfriend to the stage.

"You already picked out a song, didn't you?" she asked.

"Nope. I enlisted Holly to do it, with final approval by Kurt."

"I guess it  _is_  a night of surprises, so I'll have to trust them."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, cousin," Holly mock grumbled from her spot beside Dominic.

"Anytime," Rachel returned with a laugh as she took the microphone Jesse was holding out to her. "So…what are we singing?"

"You'll see," Kurt answered as he pressed the play button. "Jesse will start and then you join in."

Rachel nodded, cycling through various songs in her head to try and figure out which one Kurt had chosen. Her answer came a few moments later when Jesse began to sing.

**Tell me when will you be mine**  
Tell me quando quando quando  
We can share a love divine  
Please don't make me wait again

* * *

A few songs later, Rachel was surprised to see Fabian take the stage with Santana. The other girl had mentioned the older boy wasn't very confident in his singing voice, but she had convinced him to duet with her before his audition for Vocal Adrenaline, hoping it would help to boost his confidence. Shortly after the music started, Fabian began to sing, with Santana joining in a few lines later.

**Somos novios**

**Pues los dos sentimos mutuo amor profundo**

**Y con eso ya ganamos lo más grande**

**De este mundo**

**Nos amamos, nos besamos**

**Como novios**

**Nos deseamos y hasta a veces**

**Sin motivo, sin razón**

**Nos enojamos**

_Somos novios_  
Mantenemos un cariño limpio y puro  
Como todos  
Procuramos el momento más oscuro

__**Para hablarnos**  
Para darnos el más dulce de los besos  
Recordar de qué color son los cerezos  
Sin hacer mas comentarios  
Somos novios

* * *

After he finished his duet with Santana, Fabian looked over at Rachel to see her reaction and was surprised to find her clapping just as enthusiastically as the rest of the group. Even Puck, the person he least expected to see applauding, was doing so.

"Santana told me you could sing, but I had no idea you were that good already," Rachel told him as she approached the stage.

"I'm really not that great," Fabian replied, "but thank you anyway. I'm better at dancing than singing."

"I didn't think I was very good at either one, but Berry whipped me into shape," Puck told him as he joined the group.

"Don't listen to him," Rachel said to Fabian. "Santana and Tasha are the ones that really worked with him on his dancing. Blaine and Jesse helped, too, but he caught on fairly quickly. He's always been a talented singer, even though he disagrees."

"I just hope I'm good enough to make the team. I was in choir at my old school, but show choir seems like so much more interesting and fun."

"It's a lot of hard work," Rachel told him. "However, it was all worth it to be able to call ourselves the current Show Choir National Champions for another year."

"He used to take dance lessons from my mom, he knows all about hard work," Tasha added as she and the others joined the small group gathered at the stage.

"I just hope we have a lot less drama this year," Holly commented.

"You and me both," Rachel agreed.

* * *

As she finished her nightly routine, Rachel smiled as she thought about the last few hours. She had gotten to know Fabian a little and was certain he'd make a fantastic addition to the team, even making a mental note to mention him to her mom and Jack. While he wasn't anywhere near the level Jesse was at vocally, he was still very good and had a lot of potential. The fact that he really wanted to improve told her he already had the right attitude and she was positive he would be able to do just that, even if he didn't end up joining the team. With a smile still on her face, she walked into her bedroom, happy to see Jesse was already waiting for her, looking forward to spending as much time as he could with him before he had to leave for college, including their impending trip to France.

* * *

**Translation:**

_vamos a cantar =_  let's sing

**Songs:**

Rachel/Jesse: "Quando, Quando, Quando" by Michael Buble & Nelly Furtado

Fabian/Santana: "Somos Novios" by Andrea Bocelli & Katharine McPhee (there's also a version with Christina Aguilera that isn't much different, but I prefer Katharine's voice on this song so that's the version I used)


	75. Chapter 75

**A/N:**  So...those of you who have read  _A New Future_  will realize that this moves a certain event ahead a few days and to a different location. I debated whether or not to re-write it and I have decided to leave the chapters of that story as is, as an AU of sorts. I ended up liking the way this turned out better than the scenario I previously wrote. Hope you all enjoy (and I promise more St. Berry and family in France next chapter)!

 **Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee

* * *

The morning of the flight to France, Sara was only slightly surprised to find her daughter already awake when she knocked on her bedroom door.

"Do you need help with anything?" Sara asked.

"No, I think I have everything I need," Holly replied, holding up a piece of paper. "Rachel made a list. You have my passport, right?"

"Yes. I'll give it to you once we get to the airport."

"Okay, good."

"You remembered to pack your dress for Shelby's wedding, didn't you?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Did you get any sleep?"

"A little," Holly replied. "I have a feeling I'll end up passing out on the plane."

"I think we all probably will," Sara agreed.

"Are we picking up Grandma and Grandpa?"

"Yes, which means I better go work on waking your brother up or we'll be late," Sara answered before walking further down the hall to her son's room.

* * *

"Are you ready to get married?" Hiram teased his friend as they sat in the kitchen together waiting for the rest of their family to make their appearances.

"I am, actually," Shelby answered with a smile. "I love Jack and this feels right."

"As it should. He certainly fit right into our little family."

"He really did. I was surprised how quickly everyone just kind of…blended…together. First Rachel, then you and Leroy, followed by Jesse, and now Jack. A year ago, I lived alone."

"Do I even need to ask which living situation you prefer?"

"No. You know I wouldn't trade having all of you here for anything. Especially Rachel. I always felt so guilty being so far away from her. Not that you and Leroy weren't doing a wonderful job with her."

"I understand," Hiram assured her with a smile.

"You always do," Shelby replied, returning her friend's smile.

"You two are awfully smiley for having to be awake so early," Jack commented as he and Leroy walked into the kitchen.

"We have good reason to be," Shelby told them.

"Where are the kids?" Hiram wondered.

"They'll be down shortly," Leroy answered. "Rachel was going over her checklist one last time."

"Like mother, like daughter," Jack said with a laugh.

"Hey, I'm not the only one famous for my lists," Shelby returned, pointing to Hiram as she spoke.

"I'm afraid Rachel didn't stand a chance," Hiram agreed with a laugh of his own.

* * *

"Dominic, your Mom's here," Penelope told her step-son as she knocked on his open door.

"I'll be right there," Dominic replied as he finished zipping up his suitcase.

"Do you need help with anything?"

"No, I think I've got it."

"Don't forget to call us when you get off the plane."

Dominic smiled a little as he walked over to his step-mother and gave her a hug.

"I'll miss you, Nell," he told her.

"I'll miss you, too," Penelope replied as she returned his hug.

"Is Dad downstairs, too?"

"Yes. Are you sure you don't need any help?"

Dominic chuckled as he picked up his carry-on and his suitcase.

"You could shut the door for me," he suggested.

Penelope smiled as she did as Dominic requested and then following him downstairs.

* * *

Later that morning, as she was getting ready to leave for the dance studio, Talia was surprised when she heard the door open. Thinking it was just her husband coming back from the store, she didn't walk into the living room to see who it was. When she heard her youngest daughter's excited shout a few moments later, she immediately knew who it was. Setting her things down, she walked into the living room to find Tatiana hugging Alec tightly, with Aiden and Melina standing nearby.

"I thought your flight didn't get in until this afternoon," Talia said, taking her turn hugging her older son.

"We caught an earlier flight and decided to surprise you," Alec answered. "Mel didn't even know we were here until we landed."

"Does  _your_  mother know you're here?" Talia asked Aiden.

"Yes, ma'am. I already dropped my stuff off. She mentioned you were talking about going into the studio early, and I wanted to say hi to you, so we came right over."

"You're such a liar," Tatiana accused before her mother could say anything.

Aiden narrowed his eyes at the younger girl.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

In response, she simply rolled her eyes at him before sighing.

"We all know you're here to see one person and that isn't my mother," she replied.

"Tatiana!" Melina exclaimed, surprised by the girl's bold response.

"What?" she asked. "I'm just telling the truth."

"Is she?" Alec wondered, turning to look at his best friend.

As he contemplated his response, Aiden turned to look at Melina, who just shrugged and looked worried.

"Partly," Aiden admitted. "I did promise Aunt Talia I would stop by once I got back to town, but I would also like to see Natasha."

"I  _knew_  it!" Tatiana crowed before walking out of the room with a smile on her face. "I have to call Mari."

"I think you two should talk," Talia told the two boys before turning to the other female in the room. "Melina, sweetheart, would you do me a favor and rescue Tasha from Tatiana? I think I'll take her to the studio with me, let her burn off some of that energy."

Melina nodded, giving Alec's hand a reassuring squeeze and sending a reassuring look to Aiden before walking out of the room.

* * *

"Guess what?!" Tatiana exclaimed as she rushed into her sister's room and jumped on the bed.

"Do I have to?" Tasha asked, raising an eyebrow at her sister.

"I guess I could just tell you."

"Let's go with that option."

"Alec and Aiden are here."

"Alec  _and_  Aiden?" Tasha repeated, her face paling as she spoke.

"That's what I just said, is it not?" Tatiana replied indignantly.

"Ana, your mom said she wants you to go to the studio with her. You have five minutes," Melina said as she walked into the room.

"I don't want to go."

"You know better than to argue with Mama," Tasha snapped. "Now get out."

Whatever Tatiana had been planning on saying in reply died on her lips as she quietly got off of the bed and walked down the hall.

"I don't think you should have snapped at her," Melina commented.

"She'll get over it," Tasha replied.

Melina sighed, shutting the door before taking Tatiana's place on Tasha's bed.

"Alec and Aiden are talking in the living room," she revealed.

"Why?"

"Cut it out, Tasha. We both know why."

"This is exactly why I didn't want this to happen. I don't want to make a big deal out of anything. Of all the people in the world I could possibly develop feelings for, why did it have to end up being Aiden McLaughlin, my brother's best friend?"  
"I don't know," Melina answered honestly, sighing as Tasha pulled her knees up to her chest.

"That's helpful," Tasha snapped.

"I honestly don't know the answer to that question, you know that."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Just answer me something, and I want you to be honest."

"Okay…"

"Do you or do you not want to be with Aiden?"

"I shouldn't be."

"That's not what I asked. I asked what  _you wanted_."

"You already know the answer! Of course, I do!"

"He clearly wants to be with you, too, so I don't know why you're wasting so much time."

"What about Alec?"

"What about him? He's fine with it…or he will be."

"He knows?" Tasha asked, looking even more terrified than she had moments before.

"I clued him in," Melina admitted. "He said he just wants you two to be happy, and if that's with each other, then so be it."

"Do you really think we could make it work?"

"I see no reason why you couldn't. You already know each other better than a lot of couples do."

"What if he just leaves?"

"He loves you, Tasha. He's not going to just leave. You have to give him more credit than that."

Tasha nodded, not sure what else to say as she resisted the urge to get up and start pacing. She was grateful when Melina changed the topic a few moments later. She didn't want to think about the possibility of the boy she loved not loving her in return.

* * *

"I guess I owe you an explanation-" Aiden started, stopping mid-sentence when Alec lifted his hand up.

"I don't need an explanation," Alec told him. "Melina already filled me in, and really, looking back on everything over the last few months, it's become more and more obvious that something changed between the two of you."

"I didn't plan on my feelings for her changing."

"I figured as much. Melina said you both think the other is off-limits. What's that all about?"

"Uh, because of the fact that you're my best friend and she's your little sister. She was supposed to stay my surrogate sister; I wasn't supposed to feel anything but brotherly love for her."

"Okay, look, at the end of the day, the only thing I want is for you both to be happy. If being together is what you both want, then I say go for it. Who am I to say you can't be with her? It's Tasha's choice, your choice, not mine."

"I sense a 'but' coming up," Aiden commented.

"You'd be right," Alec confirmed. "If you play her or hurt her, I  _will_  kick your ass. If you aren't serious about being with her, then leave and let her get over you."

"Do you honestly think we'd be having this conversation if I wasn't serious?"

"No. You wouldn't. I've seen firsthand the way you would treat her, how happy she was that night. How happy  _you_  were that night. I don't know who you two thought you were fooling, honestly."

"Apparently no one," Aiden muttered, eliciting a chuckle from Alec.

* * *

After finishing his conversation with his best friend, Alec went to talk to his sister while Melina went to keep Aiden company.

"Welcome home," Tasha said with a smile as she hugged her brother.

"Thanks," Alec replied. "For the hug and for convincing me to spend the summer here. I love New York, but it's always nice to come home for a little while."

"Plus your girlfriend is here."

"That's a definite bonus. Believe it or not, I do miss you, Dmitry, and Ana, too."

"Speaking of Ana, I think I owe her an apology."

"Why?"

"I kind of snapped at her. I started freaking out when she revealed that both you and Aiden were here."

"Speaking of my best friend…"

"I'm sorry," Tasha immediately blurted out.

Alec sent his sister a confused look before he spoke again.

"Why are you apologizing to me?"

"Because Aiden is your best friend. He's supposed to be off-limits."

"You know, you both keep using that phrase, but neither of you needs to. Just because Aiden is my best friend doesn't mean you can't date him. I don't know where you got the impression that it did."

"I just assumed," Tasha admitted with a shrug.

"Well, you assumed wrong. Enough about that, though. I want you to enlighten me."

"About what?"

"When your feelings for Aiden changed."

Tasha sighed as she shrugged.

"I don't know exactly. It was just like the closer we became, the harder I fell for him. I didn't want to, I tried not to."

"It doesn't always happen the way you want it to. I met Melina doing something I do almost every day. I didn't expect to walk into that tour and meet the girl I wouldn't be able to get out of my mind. I certainly didn't expect you to end up befriending her, which led to me being able to talk to her again."

"Mama would say that fate is funny like that sometimes."

"Probably," Alec agreed. "Look, at the end of the day, all I want is for you to be happy. If being with Aiden will make you happy, then I'll support you."

"What?" Tasha asked, not sure she'd heard her brother correctly.

"I said you have my support. My blessing. Whatever you want to call it. I'm not going to stand in the way of your happiness, Tasha. Do you want to be with him?"

"Yes."

"Then don't mess this up. I'm going to send him up."

"Can I have another hug first?"

"Sure," Alec replied, chuckling as he leaned over to give his sister another hug before leaving the room and heading back downstairs.

* * *

"What if I'm imagining things?" Aiden asked, running his hands through his hair as he paced the room.

"You're not imagining things," Melina replied with a sigh. "Tasha told me herself how she feels. Trust me when I say I don't think you'll be disappointed."

"I don't know if I can do this."

"Do what exactly?"

"Admit how I feel. Be someone Natasha would be proud to be with."

"Okay, let's get a few things straight," Melina said as she stood, pushing Aiden to sit on the couch before she continued talking. "Whether you want to believe it or not, you are a great guy. You care about your friends and family, and you make time in your life for them.

You realized New York wasn't where you wanted to be, so you did the adult thing and admitted it. Rachel went to bat for you because she saw something in you and she was convinced her Daddy would, too. Hiram ended up agreeing with his daughter and  _created a position for you_. He's giving you a  _paid_  internship, with the potential for permanent employment!

I know that change is scary and it can make you doubt yourself, doubt your abilities, but you don't need to. You're intelligent and treat people with respect, and you're fiercely loyal to those you care about. If those aren't the qualities of someone Tasha would be proud to be with, then I don't know what are."

"Are you finished yelling at me?" Aiden asked a few moments later.

"I'm not yelling," Melina retorted. "I'm simply explaining to you why you're wrong. I can see how much you love Tasha, how much she means to you. I can also see how much she loves you, how much you mean to her. Being apart is only hurting both of you, and I don't like to see my friends hurting. You've officially moved back here now, so it's not like you have to worry about leaving again in a few weeks."

"What about when she goes off to college?"

"She applied to local colleges only, you know that. She has no desire to move away. I'm sure she'll want to visit New York and Boston so she can see Alec and Marina, but Akron is where she feels she belongs."

"Last I heard she was thinking about applying to NYU," Aiden revealed.

"She applied to Kent State and the University of Akron, both of which are only a few minutes away."

"Yeah, I know, I'll be at the University of Akron in the fall."

"I didn't know you decided to go back to school."

"My parents offered to help me pay for it, plus I applied for a few scholarships. I only have a couple of years left, since I have most of the general education stuff done."

"See? It'll be perfect."

Aiden sent her an unsure look, but was stopped from saying anything by Alec walking back into the room.

"Mel and I are going to take off, maybe stop by to distract your mom for a while," Alec told him. "I think you should go talk to Tasha."

"Good luck," Melina said, giving Aiden a hug before leaving the room with Alec.

Taking a deep breath, Aiden stood and began to make his way upstairs, his heart beating faster with each step.

"I'll take all the luck I can get," he muttered to himself as he approached Tasha's room.

* * *

Sitting alone in her room, Tasha once again had to resist the urge to pace. If Melina and her brother were right, the conversation she was about to have would end happily, but that didn't do anything to reduce her nerves. Thoughts about Aiden rejecting her because he wasn't comfortable crossing the line from surrogate siblings to significant others or because he couldn't get over the fact that she was his best friend's little sister still ran through her mind.

Pulling her knees back up to her chest, she rested her chin on them while she waited for Aiden. She decided to give him five minutes to make an appearance before going to look for him. If he wasn't here, she'd have her answer. She was so lost in her thoughts that she was startled when he knocked on her door a couple of minutes later.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Sure," she replied.

"You seem nervous," Aiden commented as he took a seat on the desk chair he'd pulled close to the bed where Tasha sat.

"So do you," Tasha returned.

"Why are you nervous?"

"Because I don't know if this conversation is going to go the way I want it to."

"What way is that?"

"Oh, for God's sake!" Tasha exclaimed, slamming her hands down on the bed before she stood. "This is ridiculous."

"Okay, usually I can follow your train of thought, but I'm lost," Aiden admitted.

"Let me see if I can get this right-you're going to tell me that we can't be together because you can't get over the fact that I'm Alec's little sister and you can't see me as anything other than your surrogate little sister."

"Is that what you think?"

"It's one of my worst fears," Tasha admitted, tears forming in her eyes. "Partly because of the way I feel about you and partly because I'm so sick and tired of being seen only as someone's sister instead of my own person."

"I can understand that."

"Which part?"

"Both, actually."

"Both?"

"Both," Aiden repeated as he walked over to her, reaching up to wipe away her tears. "Why are you crying?"

"Because I'm tired of pretending to feel one way when I actually feel another, and because I'm afraid of losing you," Tasha answered, stepping away from Aiden as she spoke.

"Natasha-"

"I'm so stupid. I knew better, yet I did it anyway."

"Natasha," Aiden tried again. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about giving into my feelings for you! I'm talking about letting myself act like your real girlfriend during prom, about letting myself imagine it would be like if you actually wanted to be with me."

"Would that be so horrible? To have those things be true…"

"It wouldn't be horrible at all."

"Okay…so why do you keep running away from me?"

"I'm not running away."

"You won't let me touch you. You won't let  _me_  explain  _my_  feelings."

"What's there to explain? We can't be together because you're Alec's best friend and I'm his little sister."

"Alec himself said he didn't care about that, that it didn't matter. Didn't he tell you that?"

"Yeah, but I assumed he was just telling me what I wanted to hear."

"He wouldn't do that."

"Maybe not to you."

"What are you really afraid of, Natasha?" Aiden asked as he approached her again. "That I might actually feel the same way? That the things you feel I feel, too?"

At Aiden's words, Tasha sucked in a breath as her eyes flew to his. Taking advantage of Tasha's temporary silence, Aiden continued talking.

"I love you, Natasha. Part of the reason I came home so often, why I was so anxious to get out of the lease on the place in New York, was because I was hoping to convince you to take a chance with me before someone else convinced you that they were a better match for you."

"So all those nice things you did were just to trick me into falling for you?"

"I did all of those things because I love you. When Aunt Talia called and asked me to take you to the ER because you had fallen at the studio, I was terrified that you were seriously injured."

"All I did was sprain my ankle…"

"I know that now, but I didn't then."

"I don't understand," Tasha said with a shake of her head. "Why me? I've met your ex-girlfriends, remember? I'm not like them."

"No, you're not like them," Aiden agreed. "I wouldn't want you to be, either. I don't want you to be anyone other than yourself."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know. I don't know much of anything right now."

"Okay, well, what's something you  _do_  know?" Aiden asked, silently wishing for her to say she loved him back.

"I know that you drive me crazy sometimes…that I'm scared…no, not scared, terrified. I know that feel like I'm in some kind of dream and I'm going to wake up heartbroken because this won't be real. I know that subconsciously I wanted to go the prom with you, as childish as that might seem, and that's why I blurted out your name when Peter asked me who I was going with. I know that my ankle really hurts right now…" Tasha began, listing off the various things going through her mind, only stopping to let Aiden help her back to the bed. "I know that you somehow managed to make an irreplaceable part for yourself in my life. I know that there hasn't been an afternoon I enjoyed more than the one we spent together when I got this stupid injury."

"Anything else?" Aiden wondered as he reclaimed his former seat in front of Tasha's bed and she attempted to catch her breath.

"I know that I love you, too, Aiden."

"Thank God," Aiden said, letting out the breath Tasha hadn't realized he'd been holding before leaning forward to press his lips to hers.

"I agree," Tasha told him when they pulled back, causing him to chuckle as he moved to sit beside her on the bed and then hug her tightly.

"You're positive this is what you want?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"Absolutely," Aiden answered, leaning over to give her another kiss.

* * *

After returning from the studio later that night, Tatiana went to find her sister. Their mother had made her realize that she had been a bit too bold and reminded her that both Tasha and Aiden were old enough to make their own decisions.

"Tasha?" Tatiana asked as she knocked on her sister's door, surprised when it opened just a few seconds later.

"I was just about to go look for you," Tasha revealed.

"You were?"

"Yeah. I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did earlier. I'm sorry, Ana."

"I'm sorry, too. I should have kept my comments to myself and let you figure things out on your own."

"I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

"Deal," Tatiana agreed as she hugged her sister. "So…what happened between you and Aiden, anyway?"

"I had a feeling you were going to ask me that," Tasha said with a sigh. "I was just about to explain everything to Mari, so I guess at least this way I won't be repeating myself."

"Mari's here?" Tatiana asked as she followed her sister into the room and shut the door behind her.

"Sort of…we were talking via Skype when you knocked on my door."

Tatiana turned to look at Tasha's computer screen and smiled when she saw her oldest sister's face, her smile growing when the older girl waved at her.

"When are you coming home?" Tatiana asked.

"Next week," Marina answered. "Just in time for Rachel's party. Lucky girl is in France for the week."

"Her mom is getting married there," Tasha reminded her.

"I know. She and Holly are bridesmaids, while Aunt Sara is the matron of honor."

"Speaking of Holly…does she know about you and Aiden?" Tatiana inquired.

"Melina sent her an email, since she can't get any texts while she's in France," Tasha answered. "Are we done playing twenty questions now? If you two want to hear the story, you're going to have to stop talking."

"Sorry," Marina said with a wave of her hand. "Go on. I'm interested to hear how this happened."

"It's mostly  _her_  fault," Tasha began, pointing to her younger sister. " _She's_  the one who made the comment about Aiden using Mama as a ruse to come see me in front of both Mama and Alec."

"Well, it was true," Tatiana reminded her. At Tasha's annoyed look, she simply smiled and said, "Continue."

With a slight shake of her head, Tasha continued her story, both of her sisters listening intently.

* * *

After settling into the suite she would be sharing with Rachel, Jesse, and Dominic, Holly was checking her messages when she saw a new email from Melina with the subject 'breaking news'. Intrigued, she opened it and quickly scanned the message.

"No freaking way," she said out loud, gaining the attention of the other three occupants of the room.

"What happened?" Rachel asked as she rushed over, immediately concerned.

"Aiden and Tasha happened, that's what!"

"Really?"

"That's what Melina said in her email. She said she's planning on getting the details from Tasha tomorrow, but it was actually Ana who started it all."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Dominic commented from his spot on the couch next to Jesse.

"Me, neither," Jesse agreed.

"You two better not mean anything bad by that," Rachel told them, placing her hands on her hips.

"She's a lot like you in a way, Rach," Jesse explained. "She just wants everyone around her to be happy. It was obvious that Aiden and Tasha wanted to be with each other, they just needed a little push. Tatiana was probably as frustrated with them as Holly, so rather than bash their heads together, she just gave them that push."

"Did Lina say what she said?" Dominic wondered.

"She said Alec and Aiden surprised Aunt Talia by coming home earlier than they planned, and when Aiden told her that he just stopped by to say hi because he hadn't seen her in a while, Ana called him out on his crappy lie while Alec was in the room."

"I can't say I'm completely surprised," Rachel admitted. "She probably knew Melina had talked to Alec and that Alec was okay with Tasha and Aiden being together. She knew the latter two could make each other as happy as the former two are, so she took matters into her own hands."

"Well, regardless of how it happened, I'm just glad it did," Holly declared.

"I'm happy for them."

"I am, too, even though I'm sure they'll both still make me want to bash their heads together from time to time."

Rachel laughed as she and Holly joined their boyfriends on the couch.

"Well, now that that's settled, how about a movie?" she suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Jesse replied, with Holly and Dominic nodding their heads in agreement.

* * *

"Did the kids get settled okay?" Jack asked his fiancée when he saw her walk back into their suite.

"Yes. I do kind of feel bad for Liam, though," Shelby answered.

"Why is that?"

"He's kind of the odd one out here."

"Jesse and Dominic hung out with him for a while earlier, plus my family will be here tomorrow and I know a couple of my nephews will be there. Liam won't be the odd one out for long."

"He did get along well with them the last time we all got together."

"Exactly. I'm sure they'll end up being fast friends."

"I hope so."

"Shel, I know telling you not to worry is pretty much useless, but I really want you to relax. That's why we made a vacation out of this, remember?"

"I know, and I'm happy to have my family here, but I just want everything to be perfect."

"It will be," Jack insisted. "Jacqueline and Genevieve have both said they would help us however they could, and you know your sister and parents would do the same. Between Sara, Jacqueline, Genevieve, and your mom, all the details will be taken care of."

"It's…different…not having to take care of the details," Shelby admitted with a sigh as she took a seat next to her fiancé on their bed.

Jack chuckled as he hugged her close.

"I know, but just try to relax, okay?"

"I promise I'll try to relax."

"That's all I ask. Now, I think we should try to get some sleep. The next couple of days could be kind of crazy."


	76. Chapter 76

**A/N:** So here's part one of Shelby and Jack's wedding, mixed in with some of the others. I'm hoping to wrap up this story in the next few chapters and set things up for the sequel.

* * *

The day of her wedding, Shelby woke up feeling slightly anxious. She was slightly relieved when she saw her mother and sister already in the room, arranging things on a nearby dressing table.

"Mom, Sara," Shelby said softly.

"Good morning, darling," Tabitha responded with a smile, promptly moving to her younger daughter's side. "How are you feeling?"  
"A little anxious, to be honest," Shelby answered.

"I felt that way, too," Sara told her, joining their mother at her side. "I just wanted everything to be perfect. You still want to marry Jack, don't you?"

"Yes, of course," Shelby immediately answered.

"Then focus on that," Tabitha advised. "We'll take care of the rest. Rachel is already up and has taken charge."

"She even got Holly to get up," Sara added. "Which we all know is a miracle this early in the morning. Either she or Rachel should be by soon with your breakfast."

"Have either of you heard from Jack this morning?" Shelby asked.

"He sent a note for you, I put it on the bedside table," Sara answered. "Jesse and Dominic are with him, as is Liam. I think I saw a couple of Jack's nieces running around here, too."

"You relax," Tabitha told her younger daughter. "We have everything taken care of."

Shelby nodding, reaching for the note as soon as her mother and sister went back to organizing the things she'd need for the day.

A short while later, just as Sara had predicted, Rachel came in with breakfast.

"Good morning," she said with a smile as she handed her mother the tray of food.

"Good morning," Shelby replied, returning her daughter's smile.

"Did you get Jack's note?"

"I did."

"Can I ask what it said?"

"It was sweet and simple-it just said that he loves me and he looks forward to seeing me later."

"That sounds like him."

"How's Holly holding up?" Shelby wondered.

"She's fine now that she'd had some coffee," Rachel answered with a laugh. "I think she's still mad at me for waking her up early, though."

"Didn't you tell her she needed to get an early start?"

"Yes, and we let her sleep the longest, but it was still about fifteen minutes before her alarm."

"I'm sure that went over well," Sara commented from the other side of the room, eliciting a laugh from her niece.

"She yelled at me in French," Rachel revealed, "but that was to be expected. Dominic went to get her coffee before she woke up, so she was better once she found out about that."

"Sounds about right," Shelby agreed.

"Do you need anything else?" Rachel asked her mother as she stood. "Genevieve and I were going to go down to the ceremony site and make sure everything was going smoothly."

Reaching for the pad of paper and pen on the bedside table, Shelby quickly wrote a note back to her soon-to-be-husband and folded it in half before giving it to Rachel.

"If you could just make sure Jack gets this, I think that's all I need for now."

Rachel nodded, leaning down to give her mother a hug before going to find Jesse's sister.

* * *

"They all look so adorable, I hate to wake them," Talia said to her friend as they watched the sleeping group of six, who were currently sprawled across her living room.

"Let them sleep a while longer," Katya advised. "This is a rare weekend off for most of them. Although I do have one question."

"What's that?"

"I know I've been out of town for a couple of days, I had to leave shortly after Aiden came home, but obviously something changed between him and Tasha."

Talia smiled at the newest couple, the ones currently curled together on a pile of pillows and blankets near the TV, before answering her friend.

"You can thank my youngest for that," she said with a laugh before telling Katya about how Aiden and Tasha finally admitted their true feelings.

"It looks like our prediction may actually turn out to be correct."

"It certainly seems that way," Talia agreed. "Now let's go check on breakfast. Maybe the smell of it will wake them up."

After glancing one more time at her son and the girl she already considered a daughter, Katya followed her friend back into the kitchen.

* * *

A short while later, Tatiana woke up to the smell of blini, eggs, and toast. Realizing she was the first one awake, she glanced over at her twin, who apparently had the same penchant for sleeping in that their older sister did. Frowning, she looked over at her older brother, whom she knew was generally an early riser like herself, smiling when she saw him open his eyes, too. Satisfied that one of her siblings was awake, she turned her attention back to her twin. Shaking his shoulder, she smiled again when she saw he was waking up. Knowing better than to wake up her older sister, she hopped off the couch and began to head towards the kitchen, her brothers not far behind.

"Ah, my early risers," Talia said with a smile as she saw Tatiana and Alec walk into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mama," Tatiana greeted. "Good morning, Aunt Katya."

"Good morning," Katya replied. "Where are the other four?"

"Dmitry should be here soon, since Ana woke him up rather than Tasha, and the others are still sleeping. Mel should be awake soon, too-she was the first to fall asleep," Alec answered.

"I take it none of you are going to wake the other two?" Talia asked.

"If it were just Aiden, I'd have no problem. Tasha, on the other hand…no thanks."

"I'd do it if you paid me," Dmitry told them as he took a seat next to his twin.

"I'm not going to pay you to wake up your sister," Talia said as she set a plate of eggs in front of him.

"It was worth a shot."

"Trust me, it's not worth it," Tatiana countered, eliciting laughter from Talia, Katya, and Alec.

* * *

"Are you ready to see yourself?" Sara asked her sister as she finished zipping the back of her dress.

Shelby took a deep breath, smoothing away an invisible wrinkle as she let it out and then turned to look at her sister.

"I've never seen everything all together, but I guess it's too late to do much about it now," she answered.

"I take it that's a yes."

"You put the waterproof mascara on, right?"

"We all did," Sara answered. "Mom has been emotional all morning. Thank God Jacqueline distracted her so you could get ready in peace."

"Are the girls ready?"

"They should be. Genevieve is with them, she said she'd bring them in when they were ready."

Shelby nodded, following her sister into the living room area of the suite she had been sharing with the man who would soon become her husband.

"Oh, my darling," Tabitha said, tears forming in her eyes as she caught sight of Shelby.

"Don't start, Mom," Shelby warned her as they hugged. "If you start crying now, I'll for sure be a blubbering mess by the time I get to Jack."

"You look beautiful," Jacqueline told her as she claimed her own hug. "Before everyone starts crying, I'd like to take a couple of pictures."

Shelby nodded, posing for the pictures with the best smile she could muster. Despite the fact that she knew she had nothing to worry about, she was anxious to make sure that she wasn't dreaming, that Jack was in fact waiting for her.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Charles asked his daughter as he took her hands in his.

"I am," Shelby told him with a smile. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too," Charles responded, tears forming in his eyes as he stepped back to give his younger daughter his arm.

* * *

"Is Grandpa crying?" Holly whispered to her cousin as she watched her aunt take her grandfather's arm, whose own eyes were suspiciously moist as she nodded.

"You can't tell me you won't be doing the same when you get married and your dad walks you down the aisle," Rachel whispered back.

"I hate it when your predictions are likely to be accurate."

Rachel smiled a little as she followed her aunt outside, with Holly not far behind her.

* * *

Standing between the minister and his best friend, Jack did his best not to fidget as he kept his eyes glued to the doors Shelby would be walking through shortly.

"You don't honestly think she'd bail on you now, do you?" Jason asked skeptically as he watched his friend.

"No, I don't think so," Jack replied. "Everything just kind of feels surreal right now. I need to see Shelby, and then I'll know it's real."

"Well, Tabitha is seated with Jacqueline and Genevieve, so that's a good sign."

Glancing over at Shelby's mother, he saw that she was indeed seated next to the other two women, who seemed to be doing their best to keep the mother of the bride distracted.

"Jason, what are you still doing out here?" Laura demanded when she caught sight of her husband still standing with Jack. "You're supposed to walk down the aisle with Sara."

"Going, going." Jason replied, quickly making his way towards the room where the bridal party was supposed to meet.

Turning to her husband's best friend, Laura placed a hand on his arm to get his attention.

"She wants this as much as you do, you need to remember that," she told him.

"Have you seen her?" Jack wondered.

"I have. She looks stunning. I also wanted to tell you that Jason and I will be at your reception in Akron in a few weeks. I just found out this morning that I would be able to get the time off work."

"You two have already taken time off for the wedding…"

"Don't be silly. You're our friend and this is an important event in your life. We wouldn't miss any part of it for the world."

"I'm glad you'll be there."

"You better be," Laura told him before changing the subject. "You going to be okay?"

"I'll be better once I see Shelby," Jack repeated, "but thank you."

Laura nodded, giving him a quick hug before walking back to her seat and awaiting Shelby's arrival.

* * *

"How's Jack?" Sara asked as Jason took his place beside her and offered her his arm.

"Nervous, even though he doesn't need to be," Jason answered. "What about Shelby?"

"She's nervous, too. I guess I can't blame them, all things considered."

"True."

"Enough chattering," Rachel said from behind them, where she was currently standing with her arm looped through that of one of Jack's nephews. "The music started."

"She's just as bossy as Shelby," Jason commented, eliciting a smile from Sara.

"Maybe, but I think we'll keep her anyway," she replied, causing Jason to chuckle as they began to walk.

* * *

Shortly after joining his younger siblings in the kitchen, Alec was joined by his girlfriend.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully as she slid into the seat next to him.

"Good morning," Tatiana returned with just as much cheer, eliciting a groan from her twin, prompting her to tell him, "Don't be so grumpy!"

"So…who wants to risk the wrath of Tasha to get her to wake up?" Alec wondered. "If we wake her up, she'll be mad, but if we let her miss breakfast, she'll really be mad at us."

"She likes you best, you do it," Dmitry said to Melina.

"But you can play the little brother card," Melina countered.

"The younger sibling card only makes it worse," Tatiana informed her as she poured herself more orange juice. "Trust me."

Standing at the kitchen island with her friend, Katya glanced over at her as she listened to the discussion currently going on at the table.

"Since when do they care about waking up Tasha? They used to do it all the time."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Talia replied. "I'm going to guess after the morning of prom and then the day Aiden and Alec came home, Tatiana learned her lesson and warned her siblings."

"Aiden never hesitated to annoy Ivan however he could, although it's always taken a lot to get a rise out of him."

Talia laughed as she thought about the two boys she'd watched grow up alongside her own kids. Ivan was typically quiet and kept close to those he knew well, where as Aiden was more fun-loving and outgoing.

"The smell of the food should take them soon…or at least wake Aiden, who will then wake Tasha," Talia theorized.

"Let's go with that," Katya agreed before changing the subject. "Have you heard from Sara or Shelby?"

* * *

Back in the living room, Tasha blinked her eyes open as she heard Aiden repeat her name.

"What time is it?" she asked once her vision had cleared

"Almost nine," Aiden answered once he'd glanced at the living room clock.

"I suppose I better get up before those greedy siblings of mine eat all the food."

Aiden chuckled as he stood, holding out his hands to his girlfriend as he spoke.

"I doubt our moms would let that happen. Your mom is probably making them wait to eat until you wake up."

"I wouldn't go that far," Tasha replied as she stood.

"If there's no food left, I'll take you to  _Prime Thyme_."

"I don't want to go to  _Prime Thyme_."

"Okay, then, I'll take you to whatever restaurant you decide you want to go to."

"I don't want to go to a restaurant."

"I don't know how else to feed you if the food your mom made is gone."

"Really?" Tasha asked, raising an eyebrow at her boyfriend. "You couldn't possibly think of another way?"

"You want me to cook for you?" Aiden guessed.

"Isn't that what chefs do?"

"Well, yeah, but I didn't know you liked my cooking that much."

"Who said anything about your cooking?" Tasha countered, trying to act nonchalant about the whole thing. "I just don't feel like going to a restaurant and I know Mama won't make more food. Hiram is out of the country, so you're the next best choice."

"Thanks for the confidence boost, Natasha," Aiden told her, dropping her hand and continuing the walk to the kitchen alone, only stopping when he felt Tasha grab his hand.

"Aiden, wait."

Trying to hide the hurt expression on his face, Aiden turned back towards the girl he loved.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," Tasha told him. "I was trying to make a joke and it failed miserably. I haven't had much of your cooking, but I've enjoyed what you've made for me so far. Even the sandwiches."

"Even the sandwiches?"

"Yes. Sometimes it's the thought that counts…and you didn't do too badly with what little food we had at that point."

"Uh, thanks, I think?"

"You've said yourself on multiple occasions that you wanted the recipe Mama uses to make blinis. I could probably help you get it…on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You make it for me sometime. It doesn't have to be some special occasion or anything…."

"I'd like that," Aiden told her with a smile, leaning down to brush his lips with hers before he spoke again. "Now, come on, let's go see what food is left. I can hear your stomach grumbling."

"Like yours isn't doing the same," Tasha countered as she and Aiden resumed their short walk to the kitchen.

* * *

As she stood between her aunt and her cousin, Rachel felt tears prick her eyes as she watched her mother marry her soul mate. They had found each other again after over twenty years apart, had worked through their issues to fall in love again, and now they were finally getting their happily-ever-after. Jack had fit right in with the family they'd already built and hadn't batted an eye when he found out how atypical they were, which she'd seen as a good sign. Now he was officially going to be part of the family and she couldn't be happier.

"You can't cry," Holly whispered. "If you cry, I'll cry."

"I can't help it," Rachel whispered back, looping her arm through her cousin's in a show of support, earning a small smile from her aunt, who was watching them out of the corner of her eye.

* * *

Once Jack and Shelby had officially been pronounced husband and wife, everyone gathered in one of the resort's reception rooms for dinner and then a dance. Realizing they had forgotten to ask about the music, Shelby turned to Rachel and Jesse.

"You two brought your iPods, right?" she asked.

"Yes…" Rachel answered, unsure where her mother was going with this.

"I can go get them," Jesse volunteered.

"You and Rachel can go together."

"How do you forget about music?" Holly wondered from her seat on the other side of Rachel. "You two are choir directors."

"We just assumed it was part of the package we booked," Jack answered. "Although they provided some CDs, it's not exactly the same variety we'll be getting from the iPods."

"Or the same quality," Dominic added.

"That's true," Holly agreed.

"I'm glad you see it our way," Jack told her with a laugh.

"I think she's just trying to pay me back for the amount of pictures I made her take earlier," Shelby theorized, though she was also laughing.

* * *

Later that night, as they were taking the pins out of their hair, Holly and Rachel talked while Jesse and Dominic changed in their respective rooms.

"So, I guess we officially have another member of our group," Rachel commented as she added to her pile of bobby-pins.

"You mean Aiden?" Holly asked as she added to her own pile.

"Yes. Now that he and Tasha worked things out…"

"He's fun to be around, you'll like him."

"I already like him. I asked my Daddy to give him an internship. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't like him. I'm not concerned about him."

"Okay, I'll bite. If you're not concerned about Aiden, why did you bring him up?"

"Well, mostly because I wanted your opinion on whether or not I'd still like him as I get to know him, which you already answered. I also did it because it works as a way to bring up the topic of the other new guy of the group."

"Fabian?"

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, he seems like a nice guy, and I heard Tasha saying he flirts with everyone, and I'm not saying a guy and a girl can't be friends, but I kind of get the impression that he might come between Santana and Noah," Rachel confessed, her words coming out in a rush.

"Tasha's right-he does flirt with everyone. It's just how he is. However, he knows Santana and Puck are dating. I can't see him purposely coming between them."

"Purposely coming between them?" Rachel repeated.

Holly sighed before turning towards her cousin and beginning to speak again. "Honestly, Rachel, I can see why you're concerned, why Puck would be concerned. Fabian and Santana have a lot in common, and like you and Puck, they share a culture. I'm not saying anything will happen, but I can't say I'd be surprised if something did."

"That's not very comforting."

"I'm just being honest."

This time it was Rachel's turn to sigh.

"I know, and I appreciate it. It's just…Noah is the closest thing I have to a brother and Santana is my friend. I don't want to see either of them get hurt…or hurt each other."

"I understand. I wouldn't worry about it, though, and please don't hold it against Fabian. He's Tasha's good friend and he would definitely be an asset to Vocal Adrenaline. Plus, aside from flirting with pretty much everyone he meets, he is actually a good friend himself."

"I believe you."

"Good. Now, can we please get some sleep? I'm beat."

"Sure," Rachel agreed with a laugh.

* * *

"You okay?" Jack asked his new wife as they walked into their suite. "You've been very quiet since we left the reception room."

"I'm just thinking, that's all," Shelby told him with a smile. "Nothing bad, I promise."

"Thinking about what?"

"That today went a lot smoother than I anticipated. Rachel and my mother took care of most things. It also made me realize what Rachel's back-up career could be."

Jack chuckled as he slid his arms around her waist.

"You mean as an event planner?" he guessed.

"Yes. I have no doubt that she'll be successful on Broadway, but I also have no doubt that she'll be in charge of many events in the future."

"She seems to enjoy it, and that's all that matters."

"I'm still kind of in awe over the way you two bonded so quickly."

"Me, too," Jack admitted, earning a surprised look from Shelby in return.

"You were?"

"Yeah. I knew she was a lot like you, and I didn't know how much you had told her, so I was nervous when she expressed an interest in meeting me. At that point, all I could hope for was that you'd agree to listen to what I had to say."

"My heart wouldn't let me keep pushing you away. I may have been mad at you for a very long time, mad at myself for a very long time, but I've loved you since I was sixteen. I want to be with you," Shelby admitted, tears forming in her eyes as she spoke.

"You better," Jack joked, trying to get Shelby to smile as he reached up and wiped her tears away. "We're married now. That's a bit much to go through with someone you don't want to be with."

In response, Shelby shoved his shoulder before managed a watery laugh.

"Don't be a jerk," she told him.

"I'm sorry," Jack replied, sliding his arms back around her waist and pulling her close again, whispering "I love you" before leaning down to capture her lips with his.

* * *

"Puckerman, I need to have a word with you before you leave," Puck heard Coach Bieste say as he was walking towards the locker rooms.

"What's up, Coach?" he asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. In fact, I'd say you've done something very right," Shannon answered.

"Really?"

"Don't act so surprised. You have a lot of natural talent and you've improved a lot since joining the team only a few months ago."

"Thank you."

"I've also seen the way you've been mentoring some of the younger players, including some on the junior varsity team, even though your practice time is more constrained due to your involvement in Vocal Adrenaline."

Puck shrugged, not seeing the big deal.

"Isn't that what we're supposed to do?" he wondered.

"It's something I definitely like to see, but not many people have your team player mentality."

"Being part of Vocal Adrenaline kind of drills that into you. Shelby doesn't give you any other choice."

"I know. We've discussed the topic many times."

"I don't mean to be pushy, Coach, but I need to pick up my sister from her friend's house and then I have plans tonight…"

"Sorry," Shannon apologized. "We got a little off-topic. Anyway, the reason I asked you to stay behind today is because I wanted to offer you the position of captain, starting immediately."

"What did you say?" Puck asked, not sure he'd heard his coach correctly.

"I said I want you to be the new captain. I know you haven't been on the team long, but you know I asked each person on the team to nominate someone. You received the most nominations and I have to agree-I think you're the best person for the job."

"I don't know if I can be football captain and Vocal Adrenaline's co-captain."

"I'm not asking you to make a decision right now. Just think about it and let me know at practice on Wednesday. Does that sound fair?"

"Yes, ma'am," Puck replied. "Thank you."

"If it helps at all, I think you could do both," Shannon told him.

"It does. Thanks, coach."

Shannon smiled and nodded, watching him make a run for the locker rooms before turning to pack up her own things.


	77. Chapter 77

**A/N:**  A little bit more of Rachel and the others who went to France in this chapter. I'm thinking Shelby's reception will be in the next chapter or two and then also wrap up this story so I can start on the sequel, if people are still interested in reading it that is.

Anyway, I also wanted to wish a belated Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers. Hope you enjoyed your holiday :) I also hope all of my readers enjoy the chapter (and reviews would be awesome, too) :)

 **Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

Still slightly in shock by what Coach Bieste had told him, Puck quickly showered and changed before digging his cell phone out of his bag and dialing the number of the person he most wanted to share the news with right now-his girlfriend. When she didn't pick up and he got her voicemail instead, he hung up without leaving a message. Hoping she had just misplaced her phone or momentarily left the room instead of ignoring his call, he grabbed his bag and headed towards his car.

Normally he'd call Rachel next, but she was in France, so he couldn't, and he didn't want to tell his mother or sister yet since he wasn't sure what his decision was going to be yet. He remembered Tasha mentioning something about spending the day with Aiden, but if he didn't talk to this with someone he was going to explode with nerves. He was grateful when she picked up after just a couple of rings.

"Hi, friend," she answered cheerfully.

"Hi," Puck returned. "Do you have a minute to talk?"

"Umm…sure. What's up? You sound concerned."

"Apparently Vocal Adrenaline isn't the only team that wants me as their captain."

"What? You were named captain of the football team?"

"Not exactly. Coach Bieste asked for nominations from all of us last week, which I didn't think anything of. I didn't even think I was in the running for this, but apparently I was and I got the most votes."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"I don't know. I don't know if I can do this and be captain of Vocal Adrenaline."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"Okay, take a deep breath," Tasha instructed, waiting until she heard him do so before continuing. "This is a huge accomplishment, Puck. You have to know that."

"Yeah, I know, that's part of the problem. Before I moved here, I never thought I'd be anything but a Lima loser."

"You're definitely not a loser and you don't live in Lima anymore. Things are different now. Trust me when I say that being at Carmel and actually feeling like I belong somewhere has made all the difference. If you don't think you can do both, you're going to have to choose."

"If I had to choose, it would probably be football. Being captain of the football team was kind of a dream come true. Not that being voted captain of Vocal Adrenaline wasn't great, it's just…that's more Rachel's thing."

"I understand."

"Do you think Rachel or Shelby and Jack would be mad at me if I gave up the position?"

"No. I think they'd all understand, but you need to be sure this is what you want. I think you should take some time and really take things in before making a decision. Coach Bieste said she'd give you time, didn't she?"

"Yeah. I have a few days. Plus Rachel and her family are in France for another few days, too."

"Exactly."

"I guess that's what I'll do then…"

"It's what you need to do."

"Thanks for the pep-talk. You're a lot nicer than Rachel about it," Puck told her, smiling a little when he heard her laugh in response to his quip.

"If it makes you feel better, I could use your full name."

"No, thanks. I get enough of that from Rachel and my mother."

"I figured. If you need anything, just call, okay?"

"I will. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Keep me posted?"

"I will," Puck repeated before hanging up and getting into his car, beginning to think about his options as he drove home.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Aiden asked when Tasha returned to the living room.

"Small crisis averted," Tasha replied, reclaiming her seat next to him on the couch. "Puck was voted captain of the football team."

"I can see why he'd be a popular choice for captain of any team he's on."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I don't know him well, but from what I've gathered, he seems to be very loyal. The type that would do anything for those he cares about. Am I right?"

"That's him in a nutshell. He puts on the tough guy act, but he actually has a very big heart. There's a grand total of three people he would do absolutely anything for, no questions asked: his mother, his sister, and Rachel. It's actually kind of cute to see him interact with them because it's so different than his interactions with others."

"He and Rachel have known each other since they were kids, right?"

"Yeah. They're like brother and sister…kind of like how you and Alec have been like brothers since day one."

"Is he afraid he can't be captain of two teams?" Aiden wondered.

"Basically," Tasha answered with a nod. "He doesn't want anyone to be mad at him or disappoint anyone if he decides he can't do both. Plus things aren't great between him and Santana right now and they both already have so much going on. He didn't say anything about it this time around, but it was a concern before this happened so it has to be weighing on his mind."

"If he has to choose…it would be football, wouldn't it?"

"Yes. I don't blame him, and I don't think anyone else would either, it's been something he's been interested in and working on since he was young. He wouldn't be leaving the team, plus I'm sure Rachel would make him promise to duet with her from time to time, too, but she's someone he would be absolutely crushed if he disappointed."

"Would you have to vote on a new captain again then?"

"No, I don't think so, but that would ultimately be up to Shelby, Jack, and Rachel. I'm sure Blaine would step up and become captain alongside Rachel. It's not like he'd be a bad captain and it was actually a really close vote between him and Puck."

"Your team is just full of drama, aren't they?"

Tasha sighed as she reluctantly nodded, eliciting a chuckle from Aiden.

"We don't do it on purpose, I promise," she told him.

"Well, you certainly hide it well. Until you and Melina told me what all has happened, I never would have guessed any of it."

"I'm sure Shelby would be happy to hear that. However, I'd like to get back to our movie."

"Your wish is my command," Aiden replied as he picked up the remote and handed Tasha back the bowl of popcorn.

* * *

Walking into the pool area of the resort, Holly was surprised to see everyone but her mother and cousin already there. Even Jack and Shelby had decided to make an appearance.

"Where's Rachel?" she asked as she took a seat on the lounge chair between Jesse and Dominic.

"She said she had a feeling something was wrong back home, so she went to check her email. You must have just missed her," Jesse answered.

"What kind of something wrong is she talking about?"

"No clue. She just said she had a bad feeling and needed to check her messages. I've learned not to question her intuition."

"You let her go alone?"

"No. Your mom went with her since she needed to get something from her room anyway."

"Well that explains why she's not here either."

"Do you want to go back to the room and check on her?" Dominic asked her.

"Maybe. I'll give it a little bit and go from there."

"Okay, just let me know if you change your mind."

"I will," Holly told him, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek before making herself comfortable on the chair.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Sara asked as her niece opened the door to her suite.

"Seems to be," Rachel answered. "I'll check again later."

"You should relax with the others. It's not every day you get to vacation at a French resort."

"I know, but I just have this…feeling…that something back home isn't right."

Sara sent her niece a sympathetic look before she spoke again.

"If it was a life-changing emergency, Emma or Shannon would find a way to contact your mom and she'd tell you. Otherwise I'm sure it's nothing that can't wait until you get home."

"That's true," Rachel admitted, following her aunt out of the room. "Plus Holly will probably never let me hear the end of it if I don't at least  _try_  to relax."

"Holly isn't exactly having the easiest time of it herself, don't let her fool you," Sara revealed as they walked together.

"Oh, I know. She's trying not to freak out about Dominic going off to college. I can't say I blame her for feeling anxious about it."

"I know both of you have some adjusting to do this year, but I'm confident you'll get through it just fine. You have your friends, and most importantly, you have each other. Your mom, Talia, and I are trying to work out a schedule so that the weekends you two want to go to New York one of us will be able to go with you."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I wasn't supposed to tell you, so let's keep that between the two of us, okay?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Deal," she promised. "Thank you."

"So tell me more about Jesse. Obviously your mom approves of him and I've gotten to know him a bit over the last few months, but I still don't know much."

Rachel's smile grew as she began talking about her boyfriend, her nervous feeling fading by the minute.

* * *

Pulling into his driveway, Puck frowned as he glanced at his phone and realized that Santana still hadn't called him back. Thinking maybe she had simply picked up a shift at the dance studio, he made his way inside, more than a little relieved to be alone in the house. After changing clothes, he picked up his phone and dialed another familiar number, arranging to meet them in just a few minutes. He was walking out the door when his mother called him.

"Hi, Mom," Puck greeted.

"Hi. How was practice?"

"Same as always, I guess. Just practice. Drills and stuff."

"I see. Well, Ava is spending the night at a friend's house, so she won't be home until tomorrow. I picked up a couple of extra hours here at the hospital so I'll be home late, but there's food in the fridge."

"Okay. Thanks."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. I'm just going to meet Anderson. I had an idea for Vocal Adrenaline that I wanted to run by him."

"Why don't you just wait until Saturday when Rachel gets home?"

"Because I'm not really sure about it and I want a second opinion before I bring it up to her. Anderson is a friend and knows her well, so I figured his opinion would be best."

"All right, well text me when you get there."

"I will," Puck promised.

"Okay. Well, drive safe and I love you," Laila responded.

"I will. Love you, too, Mom."

* * *

"So what was so urgent?" Blaine asked as he shut the door to his room. "You sounded kind of panicked."

"You might end up being the male lead of Vocal Adrenaline after all," Puck revealed.

"Okay, you're going to have to explain that one. I thought you wanted the position?"

"I do so long as Rachel is the female lead, but today Coach Bieste told me that I had the most nominations for captain of the football team."

"That's great news!"

"You'd think. I just don't know if I can do both….and as much as I love Rachel, I've wanted to be football captain since I was a kid."

"She'd understand. You should enjoy your senior year, not stress yourself out by taking on too much."

"If I step down, I want you to replace me," Puck told him. "I only won because you voted for me and not yourself. I know you wouldn't let Rachel down or make her do all the work. You're just as passionate about it all as she is."

"I'll do whatever I can to help," Blaine promised.

"I was counting on that. I haven't made a decision yet, but I wanted to talk to you and make sure you were still interesting in being male lead. I'm not going to leave Rachel in a lurch."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate that. I would love to be male lead, but I'm good with being a back-up, too. Either way, you have my support and I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. That helps more than you know."

"You're welcome," Blaine replied with a smile. "That's what friends are for, right?"

* * *

Getting back into her car after picking up her paycheck and signing up for an extra shift next week, Santana was surprised to see her phone blinking at her. She hadn't been gone long, but she'd still managed to miss a call. Figuring Puck was probably home by now anyway, she decided to just head over there and surprise him instead of calling him back right away. When she got there and realized he wasn't home, she frowned and picked up her phone to call her boyfriend. When her call went to voicemail, she hung up the phone and tossed it back on the passenger seat. Deciding to give him some time to respond, she quickly picked the phone back up and tapped out a message to Fabian, whose message she had missed along with Puck's phone call.

* * *

"Hey, stranger," Holly greeted as she saw Rachel join her, Jesse, and Dominic by the pool.

"Hi," Rachel replied with a smile. "Glad to see you decided to make an appearance."

"My hair wouldn't cooperate and then I couldn't find my swimsuit. It's not my fault."

"Aren't you the one who packed your suitcase?"

"Yeah, but I thought I brought my blue swimsuit when I actually brought the black one, so I spent a good ten minutes looking for the wrong suit."

"This is why you make a list," Rachel told her, laughing when Holly simply stuck her tongue out at her in response.

"Did your Daddy get to talk to one of the chefs yet, Rachel?" Dominic asked.

"He and my Uncle Nick are going to see if they can do that this afternoon," Rachel answered. "I think he'd be happy even if he doesn't get a recipe. He's always looking for tips to improve his cooking or to try new ways of cooking things."

"I'm going to miss that cooking," Jesse added, eliciting laughter from the rest of the group.

"Didn't he promise to end you both care packages?" Holly wondered.

"Yeah, but it's not the same," Dominic answered.

"It'll just give you both another reason to visit often," Rachel decided.

"Is  _Prime Thyme_  going to be catering Shelby and Jack's Akron reception?"

"That's the plan. Aiden will have started at the restaurant by then, so I think Daddy is going to have him help with that. Although I don't know if he's ever done any catering before."

"He has," Holly told her. "Not much, but he has. The manager at the restaurant in New York wasn't exactly fond of Aiden once he figured out that he couldn't cook as well as Aiden. He also hated that the customers preferred Aiden in general, so he did everything he could to make life there a living hell."

"What was the name of that restaurant?" Jesse wondered. "We'll have to make sure not to go there."

"I don't remember. You'll have to ask Aiden. I'm sure he'll appreciate the loyalty."

"I'm interested to see how things are between him and Tasha now that they've worked things out," Rachel commented.

"I kind of am, too," Holly admitted. "I'm hoping I won't want to bash their heads together anymore. It's doubtful, but a girl can hope."

"Well, you'll be able to find out at the party Jesse and I are planning."

"You're planning a party?"

Rachel nodded, eagerly filling in the other two on the plans she and Jesse had started to make.

* * *

As the four teens talked among themselves, Shelby looked on with a smile as she sat near the other adults.

"Have Rachel and Holly always been close?" Susan inquired.

"They were when they were younger, but they drifted apart for a while. Now that they've had a chance to get to know each other again, they're closer than ever," Shelby answered. "They're good kids. The entire group."

"I have to admit I was surprised when Dominic told me that your house is the favorite place for them to get together."

"I was, too, at first," Jack told her. "Then I started thinking about it. Our house has the music room, plus Hiram and Leroy converted most of the basement into a mini movie theater/karaoke place."

"The kids spend most of their time in there," Hiram added. "We're thinking of adding a small kitchen space so they can keep their snacks and drinks down there instead of going up and down the steps all the time."

"We even had it professionally decorated," Leroy put in.

"Really? That must have cost a fortune," Susan commented.

"Actually, it didn't cost us anything."

"You found a professional interior decorator to decorate the space for free?"

"Yes," Hiram replied, pointing towards the end of the row where Genevieve was sitting and talking to her grandmother. "Genevieve did it. She also did both the restaurant and the small karaoke place downstairs. She's fantastic."

"We have been looking for someone to decorate our Akron office. I'll have to look at some samples of her work."

* * *

While Hiram and Susan continued their conversation, Shelby looked over at her new husband.

"Are you enjoying the trip?" she asked.

"I am," Jack replied with a smile. "The kids are having fun, it sounds like Hiram is going to get to talk to a chef, and you're actually relaxing."

"You act like I don't know how to do that."

"I do not. I'm just glad that everything with the wedding went smoothly and now all we have to really worry about is the reception in Akron, although Emma and Shannon have been doing most of the work there."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"No. It's actually been kind of nice," Shelby admitted. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Me, too," Jack replied. "I was thinking we could order room service and have a nice dinner in our suite tonight."

"Sounds good to me."

"I think France, and more specifically, this resort, was the perfect choice. The wedding location was even better in person and there's been a little bit of something for everyone here."

"Even Liam seems to be having a good time and he's the one I worried about the most."

"Why?"

"He's kind of the odd one out, but he became fast friends with your sister's boys, so he seems to be doing just fine."

"It's not like this is the first time they've met. They hung out for a while at the get-together dinner."

"That's true."

"Come on," Jack said, standing and holding his hand out to Shelby. "I think we should take a clue from our nephews and enjoy the pool for a while."

Shelby smiled as she took Jack's hand and stood.

"I agree," she told him, following him towards the pool the four boys were currently occupying.

* * *

Feeling better now that he'd talked to a couple of his friends about his dilemma, Puck headed home, deciding to try his girlfriend again as he walked out of Blaine's house.

"Hey, where are you?" Santana asked as she answered.

"I needed to talk to Anderson about something," Puck replied. "Why didn't you call me back?"

"I did. I've been at your house for like a half an hour."

"I told you-I needed to talk to Anderson about something, which you would have known if you had answered your phone."

"I left it in the car when I went to pick up my check. So sue me."

"It's been a long day, I'm just going to warm up the food my mom left and then go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow or something," Puck told her.

"You called to tell me you didn't want to hang out tonight?"

"No, but I got what I needed figured out. I need some time to think."

"I cancelled my plans to spend time with you. I just thought you should know that."

"I didn't realize it was such a burden. You could have just said you had plans."

"I wanted to hang out with you, you ass. I've barely seen you the past few days. I miss you."

"I need some time to myself."

"Yeah, I got that. Call me when you decide to stop being such a jerk," Santana replied before promptly hanging up.

"Damn it," Puck swore as he started his car and began to drive home. "That's not how the conversation was supposed to go."

* * *

Fighting back tears, Santana quickly got in her car and drove back to the studio. She knew both Fabian and Lydia would be there and she didn't want to deal with all the questions her mother or grandmother would ask. She just wanted to cry and rant. She could feel Puck drifting away and she had no clue why it was happening, she only that it hurt like hell.

* * *

Shortly after finishing their movie, Aiden and Tasha were debating what they wanted to get to eat when they heard the ding of Aiden's cell phone.

"Great," Aiden muttered as he read the message.

"That sounds ominous," Tasha commented, trying to read the expression on his face.

"My brother will be in town next week."

"You make it sound like you two don't get along."

"Well, we aren't exactly the best of friends like you and your siblings, but yeah, we get along."

"So why do you sound so annoyed?"

"He only moved up the time he's going to visit is because he wants to see for himself that we're actually together and that I actually moved back here. I was hoping to be out of the house by the time he came home."

"Does he not believe you?"

"He says he does, but this is Ivan we're talking about. I've always had to prove things to him. Rarely does he take my word for it."

"Ivan just likes to be difficult."

"I know. It just gets tiring after a while. I'm sure my mom will be planning a big dinner, too."

"You act like she didn't cook you whatever you wanted for dinner the night you came home. I'm pretty sure she was trying to hide how happy she was that you're going to be staying in Akron now."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Aiden replied, feigning innocence as he tried not to laugh.

In response, Tasha simply rolled her eyes at him before shaking her head.

"Whatever you say," she replied.

"You act like you don't believe me. I'm hurt, Natasha."

"You are such a horrible liar," Tasha accused with a laugh.

"I am not," Aiden retorted, sliding his arm around Tasha's waist to pull her close.

"Yes, you are."

"I think you're wrong."

"I think  _you're_  the one who's wrong."

"Well, there's one thing I was happy to be wrong about," Aiden commented as he leaned in closer to Tasha.

"What's that?" Tasha asked, hoping the answer would be what she wanted it to be.

"Something that we were both wrong about-our feelings for each other."

"Oh, that."

"Yes, that," Aiden replied, closing the distance between them to press his lips to hers, smiling a little to himself when he felt Tasha begin to return the kiss.

* * *

Sitting at the desk of the dance studio with her boyfriend's cousin, Melina was startled by the sound of the bell above the door. The last dance class of the day was only about half-way finished, so it was unlikely to be a parent here to pick up their child. When she recognized Santana, she opened her mouth to call out a friendly greeting, but closed it without saying anything when she saw the expression on the younger girl's face.

"Santana, what happened?" she asked, immediately getting up and rushing over to her friend.

"I don't really know," Santana answered as she let Melina lead her to a chair.

"Is your family okay?"

"They're fine."

"Did something happen to Rachel or one of the others in France?" Lydia guessed as she joined them.

"No, they're fine, too as far as I know," Santana answered.

"Did something happen between you and Puck?" Melina asked softly.

Santana nodded as tears began to well in her eyes.

"What happened?"

Santana took a couple of deep breaths before explaining what happened, tears running down her cheeks by the end.

"I don't mean to pour salt in the wound, but do you think this could have something to do with the amount of time you've been spending with Fabian?" Melina wondered.

"I told him we're just friends! He said he understood! I can spend hours with a girl, but the minute a boy is involved, there's suddenly a time limit?!"

"Boys can be stupid," Lydia told her, handing her a couple of tissues.

"So, what am I supposed to do? Go over to his house anyway?"

"I have an idea," Melina said a few seconds later. "I'll be right back. I have a phone call to make…and don't worry, it's not Puck, although I do have plenty I'd like to say to him."

"I'll stay with her," Lydia told her.

"Thanks," Melina replied before walking outside with her phone pressed to her ear.


	78. Chapter 78

**A/N:**  I don't really have much to say except I'm sorry for the lack of Rachel and Jesse in this chapter. They'll be appearing more in subsequent chapters, but as I've said before, this has turned into more than just a St. Berry story for me. I hope you all continue to enjoy (and review)!

 **Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee.

* * *

Just as she and Aiden had decided on what to order for dinner, Tasha heard her phone ring.

"What is today, interrupt Aiden and Tasha's date day?" she grumbled as she reached for it to see who was calling, causing Aiden to chuckle in response.

"Go ahead and answer it. I'll order the food," Aiden told her.

"Melina, this better be important or I swear I'll interrupt your next date with my brother," Tasha said as she answered the phone.

Hearing her friend's grumbled greeting, Melina bit back a laugh. Just a few days ago, the other girl probably would have been relieved to have an excuse to leave Aiden's company. Now the two were practically inseparable, much like Rachel and Jesse or Holly and Dominic.

"I just need to know if you happen to have any clue as to what's going on between Santana and Puck," she explained.

"I know he was looking for her earlier and that he was given the opportunity to be captain of two teams instead of just one."

"Captain of two teams?"

"Yes. Vocal Adrenaline and the Crusaders. He said Coach Bieste took nominations for a new captain and he was the one most people wanted. He was kind of freaking out about it."

"I don't blame him. Although I am surprised he didn't say anything to Santana about it. She's here at the studio and she's freaking out in her own right."

"Whatever you said to Aiden seemed to work, so maybe you should try talking to Puck, too."

"I don't know him as well as I know Aiden."

"So call Blaine. He's probably person Puck went to talk to, since he was the next choice for co-captain of Vocal Adrenaline."

"He's also good friends with Santana. That's brilliant."

"Does that mean you owe me one now?"

Melina laughed before answering her friend's question.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Some fashion advice. I have to talk to Kurt, too, but I'll text you the details later."

"Okay. Well, sorry for interrupting your date and tell Aiden I said hi."

"If Puck asks, I had nothing to do with this."

"Got it. Bye, Tasha."

"Bye, Lina."

* * *

"Everything okay?" Aiden asked as Tasha re-joined him in the living room.

"The two drama queens are in a different country and yet there's still plenty of drama to go around," Tasha replied with a sigh.

"Do I dare ask?"

"Apparently there always must be one couple who creates unnecessary drama. First it was Holly and Dominic, then Melina and Alec, followed by the two of us, and now it's Santana and Puck. The two who like drama the least."

"Do you want me to cancel the food order so you can go help your friends?"

"I think Melina has it under control. She has Alec to help her if needed, plus Mari is always just a phone call away and she could probably think of a way to help, too. I appreciate the offer, though."

"So…you're coming to my brother's welcome home dinner next week, right?" Aiden asked, changing the subject.

"Of course," Tasha answered. "Is Ivan bringing his girlfriend?"

"I don't know. I would guess so. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"Uh-huh. What's the real reason?"

"She's always so…polished…and I'm…not," Tasha answered, looking down as she ended the sentence.

"Look, I like Regan, she and Ivan have been together for a couple of years now so I've gotten to know her pretty well, but she's never been my type-physically or personality-wise."

"She looks a lot like your ex-girlfriends."

"That's true."

"So if she's not your type, then that means your exes weren't your type, either," Tasha concluded.

"Guilty," Aiden admitted.

"So why did you go out with them, then?"

"Because I thought it was a good idea at the time. I thought I should be with someone with a personality that was the opposite of mine, with a background that was the opposite of mine. I was wrong. I started to realize it shortly after my last relationship ended."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I love  _you_.  _You_  are the one I want to be with. I don't want you to be anyone other than yourself, which I thought I've been clear about. You've never been ashamed of who you are before, so I'm a little confused as to where this insecurity is coming from."

"It's always been there, I've just learned to hide it. I try very hard not to give into it, but sometimes I can't seem to help it."

"You're human. It happens."

"I don't like that Ivan doesn't believe that we're together. If your own brother doesn't believe us, then how are we supposed to expect anyone else to?"

"It has nothing to do with you," Aiden told her, reaching out to pull her close. "Ivan just does it to get on my nerves. He knows I've always hated being in his shadow. It's just something he does to be difficult."

"Which he excels at."

Aiden chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

"He definitely does. Enough about my brother, though. Fill me in on what's going on with Santana and Puck while we wait for our food. I know it's bothering you, and maybe I can help."

"Okay, well, it started with Puck being elected co-captain of Vocal Adrenaline…" Tasha began, explaining what was going on to the best of her understanding.

* * *

When she walked back into the studio, Melina saw that Fabian had joined Lydia by Santana's side.

"What's going on?" Fabian asked her. "I walk out of my class and I see Lydia sitting here trying to comfort Santana."

"I called Tasha," she explained. "She said that Puck has now been elected to be the captain of two teams-the Crusaders and Vocal Adrenaline-and he's not exactly taking it well."

"Idiot," Santana muttered.

"He probably feels a lot of pressure," Lydia theorized.

"I agree," Melina told her. "Football has been a big part of his life for years, but he also enjoys being in Vocal Adrenaline and he doesn't want to disappoint Rachel or make her mad by choosing football over show choir."

"She wouldn't be either of those things," Santana said softly. "She'd be proud of him and she'd understand if he chose football."

"I agree. I can also see how Puck might not be thinking clearly right now."

"You don't deserve to be treated like crap just because Puckerman can't make up his mind," Fabian told Santana.

"He doesn't treat her like crap," Melina snapped before Santana could say anything. "He's understandably stressed out right now. Stress can make you crazy. He's seventeen years old. Cut the guy some slack."

"He sounds like he's a jealous asshole to me," Fabian retorted. "His behavior thus far hasn't convinced me otherwise."

"You don't even know the guy!"

"I don't need to! He clearly doesn't love Santana like he claims to-otherwise he'd  _talk to her_!"

"Let me explain something to you. Puck knows how much being a Latina means to Santana. He's been trying to improve his Spanish as a way to impress her. He went to Tasha and asked her to teach him how to salsa so he could surprise Santana at prom. He willingly went along with Jesse's ideas to surprise us girls the morning of said school dance. Then you come along-you're the guy he thinks she would want to be with. You're Latin, you speak Spanish, you understand her culture, and you two became close very quickly. You can't honestly tell me that wouldn't raise some red flags in your head if your roles were reversed, can you?!"

"I didn't know any of that…" Fabian admitted.

"Exactly! So before you go passing judgment on the guy, you might want to actually get to know him first. He's scared of you. He's scared that Santana will decide to be with you rather than him. He also doesn't want to let her down, let Rachel down, let his mother or sister down. He puts a lot of pressure on himself."

"I appreciate the support," Santana told Fabian, interrupting his argument with the older girl, "but Melina is right. He puts way more pressure on himself than he needs to."

"Aren't you mad that he didn't tell you himself?" Fabian asked her.

"Of course I am, but I'll yell at him later. He needs support right now, though. He'll probably still drive himself crazy until he talks to Rachel, but maybe I can convince him to at least calm down a little."

"Are you okay to drive?" Melina asked as she watched Santana take her keys out of her purse.

"I'm fine. I need to send Rachel a quick email and then I'm going to go see if I can get my boyfriend to talk to me. I hate to bother her on her vacation, but she and Puck are like siblings…"

"She'll understand."

"I hope so," Santana said before turning and walking out the door, trying to figure out how she could help her boyfriend.

* * *

Instead of going to Puck's house like she had originally planned, Santana went home. She wasn't going to beg him to talk to her. If he wanted to continue being an idiot, that was his prerogative. When she got home, she was pleasantly surprised to have the house to herself. Walking up to her room, she put on some music before lying down on her bed and closing her eyes. Rachel had gotten her into the habit of turning to music when she was upset and, after trying it a few times herself, she had found that it was actually very therapeutic.

* * *

"Damn it, Santana, open the door," Puck practically shouted as he rang the doorbell and knocked on the door to his girlfriend's house again.

"Puck?" he asked a familiar voice ask a few seconds later.

Turning around, he saw Santana's younger sister quickly making her way up the driveway.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Trying to see Santana, but she's not answering the door and I left my phone at home."

"She probably has music playing again. She's had the house to herself all morning since Mom and Dad are out of town and I was at a friend's house last night," Rosa explained as she unlocked the door.

"Thanks. You're a lifesaver," Puck told her as he followed her into the house, where they could both hear the music coming from the bedroom upstairs.

"Does this mean you owe me?"

"Sure. We'll talk about the repayment of my debt later, though."

Rosa rolled her eyes good-naturedly before walking downstairs to the basement.

* * *

After knocking on Santana's bedroom door a few times, Puck decided to try his luck and see if the door was unlocked. Hoping she wouldn't be too mad at him for entering her room uninvited, he opened the door to see her lying on the bed.

"Santana?" he yelled over the music. When she still didn't move, he walked closer and lightly shook her shoulder. "Come on, Satan, wake up and yell at me. Please."

A few seconds later, Puck breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Santana's eyes fly open. She reached for the remote to her stereo and turned it off before whacking him on the shoulder.

" _Idiota!_ " she yelled. " _¿Cómo pudiste no decirme lo que estaba pasando!?_ "

" _Inglés, por favor_ ," Puck replied. "I'm not fluent in Spanish, remember? I take it you're mad at me about how I handled everything."

"You idiot!" Santana repeated, in English this time. "How could you not tell me what was going on!?"

"I'm sorry, okay?! I freaked out!"

"Did you think I wouldn't understand?"

"I didn't want to burden you with it."

"You really are an idiot, you know that?" Santana told him as she stood and pointed to the door. "If you won't talk to me, there's no point in continuing this relationship. Without me in the picture, you'll have time for both show choir and football."

"You know?" Puck asked incredulously.

"Of course I know! I'd probably be worried instead of mad if I didn't."

"Who told you?"

"Melina found out and she told me."

"Look, I'm sorry for not telling you right away, okay? I was trying to handle this on my own, and obviously I messed that up."

"Okay, but the thing is, you're not alone. Even with Rachel in France right now, you have me, and you have Tasha, Kurt, Blaine, and Melina. You could probably even talk to Aiden or Alec and they'd find a way to help you. Most importantly, you have your mom, who loves you to death."

"Are you done yelling at me now?"

In response, Santana threw her hands up in the air as she sat on the bed.

"You hurt me. I don't expect us to be freaky close like Rachel and Jesse, but we're in a relationship. We've been together for over a year now. I need to know what I'm doing to make it impossible for you to talk to me about stuff."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"I didn't want to bother you with it. I felt like you were pulling away from me and there was nothing I could do about it. So instead of burdening you with this, I tried to handle it myself. The decision is ultimately mine, anyway, right? Besides, communication has never been my strong point. You know that."

"I do know that. I also know people can improve on something if they want to, and it seems to me that you don't  _want_  to improve your communication skills because I certainly don't see you making any effort to do so."

"That's bullshit and you know it!"

"I wouldn't know!" Santana retorted. "You don't talk to me!"

"I was scared, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? Noah Puckerman was scared by the thought of being both football captain and the male lead of a show choir. I was scared and I freaked out. I wanted to show people that I had grown up and that I could handle things on my own. I'm going off to college next year; I can't rely on my mom forever."

"I'm not saying you have to rely on  _anyone_. I'm saying you have to be willing to  _talk to them_. There's nothing wrong, nothing at all  _weak_ , about seeking another person's opinion. Yes, the decision is ultimately yours, as it should be, but that doesn't mean you can't ask someone what they would do in your situation or just talk through it with someone. I thought we could talk to each other."

" _I'm sorry_ ," Puck told her as he took a seat beside her on the bed. "It's just…you know how I feel about abandoning people. My dad did it to me, my mom, and Ava. I didn't want Rachel to feel like I was doing that to her and I wasn't going to leave her without a male lead. I couldn't do that to her. She's been like my sister since we were kids."

"Do you really think Rachel would see it that way?" Santana wondered.

"Probably not, but I wasn't exactly thinking rationally at the time. I'm going to tell her everything when she gets back-I already emailed her about getting lunch later in the week. I already talked to Blaine, too."

"Really."

"Yeah. He and I are going to sort of switch roles. I already know Rachel is going to make me promise to duet with her in at least one competition and one class assignment from Shelby, so I figured I might as well be prepared."

"Rachel might put up this ambitious diva that doesn't care about anyone but herself front, but deep down, she's really not like that at all. She'll understand."

"I have a suspicious feeling my full name will be used at least once during that particular conversation."

Santana smiled a little at Puck's prediction. She could just picture the petite brunette with her hands on her hips and fire snapping in her eyes as she yelled at her long-time friend. It was actually quite the picture.

"You deserve it," she told him.

"Deserve what? To be yelled at?"

"Well that, too, but I was actually talking about being named captain of the football team and co-captain of Vocal Adrenaline."

"Really?"

"Yes. You are one of the most loyal and protective people I know. Those are two qualities that make a great leader, a great captain."

"What about my communication problem?"

"We'll work on it. I'll get Rachel to help. Jesse will be in New York in the fall, so I'm sure she'll appreciate the distraction."

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner," Puck reminded her, reaching for her hand, inwardly pleased when she didn't pull away.

"Did you really feel like I was pulling away from you?" she asked, lifting her head to reveal rarely seen tears that had begun to fall.

"Honestly, yeah, I did…and it scared me. I love you and I don't want to lose you. I might not share your culture, your language, but I like to think I've shown you that I'm interested in both of them, and I hope that counts for something. I'm probably never going to be fluent in Spanish or get all of the Latin dances right, but I'll certainly try."

"You had Tasha teach you how to salsa just so you could surprise me with it at Prom. I'd say you took a page out of Jesse's book there, Puckerman. That meant so much to me."

"You never did take over my dance lessons," Puck reminded her with a small smile.

"You're still interested?"

"Of course. Learning those Latin dances you love so much means I get to dance with you more, which also means I get to spend more time with you."

"I think that's the second sappiest thing I've ever heard you say."

"Yes, well, if you repeat it, I won't be considered much of a badass anymore."

"Your secret is safe with me."

"Better be," Puck told her before closing the distance between them and pressing his lips to hers.

"I love you, too, by the way," Santana mumbled against his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, briefly hearing him mutter a "good" in response before continuing to kiss her.

* * *

A couple of days later, as he awaited his brother's arrival, Aiden restlessly sat in the kitchen while his mother prepared dinner.

"When are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Katya demanded of her younger son.

"I'm fine," Aiden insisted, picking up his phone again to check the time.

"Tasha is still planning on joining us, isn't she?"

"Yes. She had to teach this morning, but she was done by two. She should be here shortly."

"I…" Aiden started to say, only to be interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"Mom! We're here!" Ivan called from the entry way.

"Damn," Aiden swore, earning him a look from his mother that clearly told him to behave.

"In the kitchen!" Katya called back.

"Is that Ivan's voice I heard?" Colin asked as he walked up behind his son.

"Unfortunately," Aiden grumbled, earning him another look from his mother and eliciting a chuckle from his father.

"Don't encourage him, please," Katya requested of her husband just before Ivan and Regan made their appearance.

"Hi, Aiden," Regan greeted warmly as she moved to hug her boyfriend's brother.

"Hi, Regan," Aiden replied as he returned her hug. "Are you sure you had to bring my brother with you? You know you're welcome here all on your own."

"Is that your way of saying you're not happy to see me, little brother?" Ivan asked as he walked over to them.

"I'm always happy to see you, big brother," Aiden replied.

"Did you manage to scare off your girlfriend already?"

"Ivan, be nice," Katya reminded him. "I'm not going to play referee tonight, so you two are going to have to act like the adults I both know you can be and get along."

"I warned you," Regan reminded her boyfriend before walking over to Katya and giving her a hug.

"I'm going to go check on Natasha," Aiden said before walking out of the room.

"He seems upset."

"Yes, let's just baby Aiden all night," Ivan replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not babying your brother," Katya informed him. "I'm simply asking you to be an adult and actually listen to him rather than antagonize him all night. He helped me prepare this dinner and he's smiling more than I've seen him do in a long time. I know you love your brother, so please just put the teasing aside for tonight, okay?"

"You told me yourself that you were looking forward to seeing him," Regan added.

"Old habits die hard, I guess," Ivan admitted with a sigh. "I'll go find him."

* * *

Walking outside, Ivan was only slightly surprised to find his brother sitting on the front step.

"Can we talk?" he asked as he took a seat beside Aiden.

"Do I have a choice?" Aiden retorted.

"I know I can go overboard with the teasing sometimes, and I'm sorry. It took me a while to realize that my little brother had grown up."

"Took you long enough."

"Yes, well, we can't all be brilliant."

"Says the straight-A student."

"Okay, maybe that wasn't the best word to use," Ivan admitted, "but Mom told me about the position at the restaurant, about you and Tasha, about your new apartment. I also heard she got hurt a few weeks ago?"

"She fell at the dance studio. She's fine now," Aiden replied. "What's so unbelievable about Natasha and me that you had to hear it from Mom before you believed it?"

"I don't think unbelievable is the right word."

"Then what is?"

"Unexpected. We both inherited the McLaughlin stubbornness. We dig our heels in until someone gives us that extra push we didn't want to admit we needed."

"Sounds about right," Aiden admitted. "I guess I should probably take the poison out of your dessert, then."

"Yeah, that would be nice," Ivan replied with a laugh, smiling when Aiden began to laugh as well. "I'd like to live long enough to marry my girlfriend, thank you very much."

"Are you going to propose?"

"That's the plan. I have the ring, I just haven't figured out then when or where yet."

"Well, that's a step in the right direction, I guess."

Before he could say anything else, Ivan noticed someone walking up the driveway. Judging from the way Aiden immediately stood and began walking towards said person, he knew it had to be Tasha. With a small smile, he quietly slipped back inside to let his parents and girlfriend know she had arrived.

* * *

"Are you sure you took the poison out of this?" Ivan asked his brother as Katya set the dessert down on the table.

"I guess you'll have to wait and see," Aiden replied, ignoring the confused looks from the rest of his family and his girlfriend.

"Do you have any idea what they're talking about?" Regan asked Tasha.

"I learned a long time ago not to ask," Tasha answered. "I'm assuming it's some kind of inside joke."

* * *

"So, Tasha, what's this I hear about you transferring schools?" Ivan asked after everyone had finished eating.

"I transferred to Carmel last fall, and so did Tatiana and Dmitry. We joined the show choir there, Vocal Adrenaline."

"They're amazing," Regan informed her boyfriend. "I was in show choir in high school and we could never touch them. They've been undefeated for something like eight years now, I think."

"You were in show choir?" Tasha asked incredulously.

"I was. We weren't nearly as competitive as Vocal Adrenaline, but we were still the Regional champions for all four years I was a member. It helped score me a partial scholarship, so I was happy."

As the girls continued talking amongst themselves, Ivan studied his brother and Tasha closely. Aiden was currently playing with the ends of Tasha's hair as he joined the conversation, neither of which the younger girl seemed to mind.

"So, what do you think?" Katya asked her older son, nodding her head towards Aiden and Tasha.

"They seem happy," Ivan answered, "and Tasha fits right in with the rest of us. She's always been a little…uneasy…around Regan, but they seem to have found common ground now."

"I'm not going to ask what you said to Aiden, but I wanted to tell you that I'm so happy to see you two getting along again as well."

"Me, too."

Katya smiled, pressing a kiss to her son's cheek before standing and beginning to gather the dishes.

* * *

"All right, Noah, spill," Rachel demanded as she entered her friend's room the next day.

"Here I thought you might actually have missed me while you were gone," Puck teased as he hugged her.

"I did miss you, but your email seemed urgent. What's going on?"

"Coach Bieste told me that the team wants me to be their captain next year."

"Noah, that's amazing!" Rachel exclaimed before what he'd said really sunk in. "You're not going to be my co-lead anymore, are you?"

"I've wanted to be football captain since I was kid. You know that."

"I do, and I can't really blame you for choosing football over show choir, but I am disappointed."

"Not in me, I hope."

"No. I mean, I'm happy for you, don't get me wrong. I was just looking forward to singing with you more often."

"I'm not quitting Vocal Adrenaline," Puck assured her, "and even if I was, that doesn't mean we could never sing together again."

"You already have this all figured out, don't you?" Rachel guessed.

"Basically. It still needs your approval, and Jack and Shelby's, though."

"Okay, well, fill me in."

"It's actually pretty simple. Anderson and I will trade places. He'll be your new co-lead."

"Have you talked to Blaine about this?"

"Yes, and he's on board with it if you are."

"I'll agree to it on one condition," Rachel decided a few moments later.

"What's that?" Puck wondered.

"You have to give me a copy of your football game schedule. This way I won't miss a game. At least the home games, anyway."

"You don't like football."

"Not really, no, but I want to support you. You're my friend and the closest thing I'm ever going to have to a brother."

Puck stood and hugged his long-time friend before he spoke again.

"I'll give you a copy of the schedule, but you don't have to come to every home game."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll let you know when the big, important games are and you can come to some of those."

"Deal," Rachel agreed with a smile.

* * *

"How was lunch?" Jesse asked as he saw Rachel walk into the music room later that afternoon.

"We went to visit Daddy at the restaurant, so it was delicious as always," Rachel answered as she took a seat next to him on the piano bench.

"Did you find out what he wanted to talk about?"

"Yes. He was chosen to be captain of the football team and on top of not being sure he could handle both, he was unsure how I would react to him choosing football over show choir."

"I can see how that would be stressful, but he's known you for a long time. You're friends first. Did he really think you'd be mad at him?"

"I think he was more concerned about me being disappointed in him."

"So now that Puck has made his choice, what are you going to do?" Jesse wondered.

"Apparently he already took care of it. He talked to Blaine, who has agreed to trade places with him," Rachel answered. "Noah will go back to being a back-up, and has agreed to continue to duet with me, while Blaine will be my co-captain. The vote was so close that I don't really think the team will mind. I told Noah I would talk to my Mom and Jack about it since he already had plans."

"Are  _you_  okay with it?"

"I'm perfectly fine with it. Blaine will be a wonderful co-captain and male lead. I didn't decide to vote for Noah because I didn't like Blaine or feel comfortable with him. I'm admittedly a little disappointed, but I was happy to see Noah take care of finding a replacement and that Blaine was so willing to help."

"Blaine adores you. I don't think you'll be disappointed with him as a co-captain."

"I never thought I would be."

"Do you want to go talk to your Mom and Jack now?" Jesse asked.

"They're out running errands, I already texted my Mom," Rachel answered. "She said they'd find me when they got home. I'm not worried about it, honestly."

"Then let's sing, shall we?"

Rachel smiled and nodded, waiting for Jesse to begin before joining her voice with his, always happy to be singing with him.

* * *

 **A/N 2:**  For those wondering, the pronunciation of Regan is basically just like the word "regal", but with an n on the end, so "ree-gan".


	79. Chapter 79

**A/N:**  First of all, I am so, so, so sorry for not updating this sooner. I just haven't been able to get my ideas into words. I probably won't be doing a full sequel for this, either, just updating the "A New Future" story with various stories about these characters/following these storylines.

I hope you enjoy and please review!

 **Disclaimer:**  I don't own Glee

* * *

Walking into the house, Shelby smiled to herself when she heard singing coming from the music room.

"Well, I guess you won't need to search for Rachel," Jack commented as he walked up beside her. "Go find out what she wanted; I'll take care of putting things away."

"Thank you," Shelby replied, quickly brushing her lips with his before walking down the hall towards the music room.

* * *

When they finished their latest duet, Rachel and Jesse were both surprised to hear applause from the doorway. Turning, they found Shelby standing there.

"I didn't want to interrupt," she explained. "That was very good, as usual. I'm going to miss hearing you two sing together every day."

"We'll just have to make up for it when I come home for visits," Jesse told her.

"I have no doubt that you will."

"Can we talk now?" Rachel asked her mother.

"Sure. Let's go upstairs, okay?"

Rachel nodded, giving Jesse a quick kiss before following her mother out of the room, eager to both get the conversation over with and to get her mother's feedback on what had happened.

* * *

"So, what was so important?" Shelby asked once she and Rachel had both taken seats on the bed.

"Noah was elected captain of the football team, and that's great and I'm happy for him, but he doesn't think he could be co-captain of Vocal Adrenaline as well. He has promised to continue singing duets with me and he even found his own replacement, which I was very proud of him for," Rachel revealed, her words tumbling out in a rush.

"Who did he choose?"

"Blaine. He and Blaine are sort of just switching spots. Noah is basically going to do what he did this past year while Jesse was the male lead and co-captain. Blaine said he would step up and be my co-captain, which I know not everyone would be willing to do."

"Well, it's not like it wasn't a close vote," Shelby reminded her. "Your vote was the tie-breaker, remember? I know it was a difficult choice and you hated having to choose between them."

"I'm not mad at Noah. He thought I would be, but I'm not. I understand. He's been involved with football a lot longer, and this will help his chances of getting a sports scholarship to college."

"I don't think anyone will be mad at him. We'll announce it to the team on Saturday, okay? You, Blaine, and Noah should get together and decide what you want to say. I'll fill Jack in on what's going on, too."

"Maybe Blaine and I should sing a duet, and Noah can accompany us on the piano or guitar or something."

"That's not a bad idea. I'm sure Jesse would be more than happy to help you find the right song."

"He's probably looking at music as we speak," Rachel theorized.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Shelby agreed. "I'll come find you when dinner is ready."

Rachel nodded, standing to give her mother a hug before quickly making her way back downstairs and to the music room. With a small smile, Shelby stood and walked downstairs herself, in search of her own love, eager to tell him what was going on.

* * *

"How'd it go?" Jesse asked when he saw Rachel re-enter the room.

"Just fine, as I expected it to," Rachel replied. "Except I need your help with something."

"Anything. What's going on?"

"So we're going to announce the new changes to the team on Saturday when we start rehearsals again and I was thinking it would be a good idea to have a song that Blaine and I sing together with Noah accompanying us on either the piano or guitar. I'm just not sure what song would work best."

"I think I have a few ideas."

"Of course you do."

Jesse chuckled, walking over to her to give her a quick kiss before taking her hand and leading her over to the shelves of sheet music that Shelby kept in the room.

"Let's start here, and if you still can't find anything, we'll go to the music store tomorrow. Deal?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Deal," she replied.

* * *

By the time she re-entered the kitchen, Shelby noticed that Jack was no longer alone. Leroy and Hiram had joined him and the three were chatting while deciding on what to make for dinner.

"Is everything okay with Rachel?" Leroy immediately asked.

"Everything is fine," Shelby assured him. "Apparently Noah has been elected captain of the football team, and rather than spread himself too thin, he took it upon himself to find a replacement co-captain for Vocal Adrenaline. He and Blaine are going to switch roles-with Blaine being the co-captain and male lead while Noah will be a back-up. He's promised Rachel that he will still duet with her, but he was worried she'd be mad."

"She wouldn't be mad at him for anything other than not telling her sooner," Hiram said.

"I assume that's basically what she told him," Shelby agreed.

"That must be what they were talking so seriously about at lunch today. I was too busy to hear much of anything, but they looked to be very deep in conversation."

"Even the team had a hard time choosing between Noah and Blaine," Jack reminded them. "It was a tie until Rachel cast her vote. I don't think they'll be mad."

"I told Rachel we'd announce it on Saturday when we return to rehearsals," Shelby told him.

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

The next morning, when he walked into the dance studio, Fabian was only slightly surprised to see that Puck was there with Santana.

"You know," he heard Tasha say, "While you're here, Puck, we could work on your Latin dances."

"This wasn't some kind of trick, was it?" Puck asked, looking over at his girlfriend.

"No, I promise it wasn't. My car really wouldn't start this morning. I think I left a light on or something," Santana answered.

"Come on, you know you want to dance with your  _hermosa novia_ ," Tasha teased.

"I'm already here, so I might as well," Puck said with a sigh, earning him smiles from both Santana and Tasha.

"Come on, let's find you some real dance shoes," Tasha said, leading Puck into one of the nearby rooms.

"You two talked I take it?" Fabian asked as he approached.

"We did," Santana replied as she turned to face him. "Look, I know you were just trying to be a good friend, but I think you took it a little too far."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. Get to know him, you might actually like him. Maybe you can even help me teach him proper salsa technique."

"Tasha and I could demonstrate if you think that would help."

"It might. I'll ask him and let you know."

"What prompted him to learn the dance in the first place?" Fabian wondered.

"Honestly, I'm not really sure. He was trying to find something to impress me with and I think the idea just sort of hit him. He took lessons from Tasha and surprised me with it at prom."

"That's actually really sweet."

"It is. I was completely surprised. I had no idea."

"I just need to know one thing."

"What's that?"

"Are you happy?"

"I am."

"Then I'll give him a chance. I don't know how much we have in common, but I'll try. You're my friend, Santana, and I don't want to lose that friendship."

"Me, neither."

"I better check on Puck, but I'll let you know about the salsa demonstration, okay?"

"Sure," Fabian agreed with a nod, watching her walk off towards the room Puck and Tasha had gone in a few minutes before.

* * *

The following Saturday, as everyone arrived for rehearsal, they noticed three people were missing. Since their coaches didn't seem panicked, they could only determine that there was some kind of announcement to be made. Once everyone had settled, Shelby stepped forward and began to speak.

"First of all, Jack and I would like to say welcome back to all of you and we look forward to another great year. We have a new member, who we will introduce in a little while, but first we have a musical number prepared by Noah, Rachel, and Blaine, followed by an announcement."

Taking their cue from Shelby, the trio made their way onto the stage, with Puck taking a seat at the piano while Rachel and Blaine took center stage. Taking a deep breath, Puck began to play the song while Rachel began to sing, Blaine's voice soon joining hers.

 _Tonight, tonight_  
It all began tonight  
I saw you and the world went away  
Tonight, tonight  
There's only you tonight  
What you are, what you do, what you say

 **Today, all day I had the feeling**  
A miracle would happen  
I know now I was right

__**For here you are  
And what was just a world is a star  
Tonight**

* * *

When the song was over, Rachel was relieved to see the rest of the team applauding them. After taking a bow with Puck and Blaine on either side of her, she stepped up to the microphone again.

"So, like my mom said before we started rehearsal, we have an announcement to make," she began. "Noah, would you like to explain?"

"Due to recent events, I didn't feel like I would be the co-captain and male lead that you all deserve, so I have decided to step down. Blaine has agreed to switch places with me-he will become the co-captain while I take his place as one of the alternates," Puck told them.

"This is something that Noah and I discussed together and with our coaches as well as with Blaine. I know he will be a fantastic co-captain and I hope you all agree with me," Rachel added.

"Of course we agree!" Santana and Tasha shouted from the audience before leading the rest of the team onto the stage.

* * *

Once the new co-captain announcement had been made and the team had settled back into their seats, Shelby took the stage once more, with Fabian waiting in the wing with Jack.

"I would like you all to welcome Fabian Santos. He will be auditioning for us today. Please be considerate and give him your full attention, like all of you had for your auditions," she said before giving Fabian his cue and walking over to take his previous place next to Jack.

* * *

Looking out into the audience, Fabian searched for a familiar face, but he couldn't see much. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart as he gave Shelby the cue to start the music. Raising the microphone he held, he began to sing, silently praying that he wouldn't mess this up.

_**Escucha el ritmo de tu corazon  
** _ **Feel the Rhythm**

**From the coast of Ipanema**  
To the Island of Capri  
All the way to Kuala Lumpur  
I will follow you wherever you may be

 **From the moment, I first saw you**  
Knew my heart could not be free  
Had to hold you in my arms  
There can never be another for me

 **All I need is the rhythm divine**  
Lost in the music  
Your heart will be mine  
All I need is to look in your eyes  
Viva la musica  
Say you'll be mine

* * *

When he finished the song, Fabian was surprised to hear applause coming from the audience. Glancing over at Shelby and Jack, he saw that they were clapping for him, too. Knowing he had to wait outside while they talked to the team, he quickly made his way off the stage and out into the hallway. Too nervous to sit, he began to look at the pictures that lined the nearby wall. He knew they'd been a successful show choir, but looking at the pictures from the various competitions over the years, he could see that they had won Nationals nine years running.

"Damn," he muttered, jumping a little when he heard a chuckle from nearby.

"It's Fabian, right?" the owner of the voice asked as he approached.

"Yes…and you're Jesse."

"That's right."

"Didn't you graduate?"

Jesse chuckled again as he nodded.

"Yes, with an almost perfect GPA at that. However, Shelby asked me to help organize the choir room since it's been a crazy year and she hasn't had much time to do it herself, especially with the trip to France. Rachel sent me a text saying you might be grateful for a distraction while the team deliberates and I have a couple of questions for Shelby anyway, so it worked out."

"Did you enjoy your time with the team?"

"For the most part. It was better once Rachel joined. But I was lucky enough to have some of my best friends on the team with me, so that helped, too. We're a competitive bunch, but Shelby has always stressed that we shouldn't be competing with each other and that we should be helping each other instead. At the end of the day, we were a team and without that teamwork, we wouldn't be half as successful as we were. There was no sense in trying to undermine each other; we all knew doing that wouldn't lead us to the success we wanted."

"What if you aren't so much competitive, but you enjoy dancing or singing or just performing?"

"You'll do just as well. Even one of the least competitive people I know managed to get into the whole wanting to win thing. You get excited about doing well and it's kind of infectious. The less competitive keep the more competitive grounded, I think."

"Then what about you and Rachel? You're both highly competitive and yet you made the team better and ended up together yourselves."

Jesse grinned at the mention of his girlfriend, chuckling as he thought of times over the past few months that he'd seen just how competitive she could really, be before answering the younger boy's question.

"Well, it helps that we generally don't compete with each other. We push each other to be the best, we aren't afraid to call each other out on things, but we don't compete with each other…at least not unless it's a friendly competition that we both agreed to. But we understand each other in ways no one else can and that's the best part of it all."

"I thought I heard your voice," Rachel interrupted as she and Blaine walked towards them.

"I had a few questions for Shelby and Fabian seemed a little jittery, so I figured I'd distract him while we waited," Jesse told her as she came up beside him and hugged him tightly.

"So…what's the verdict?" Fabian asked, looking back and forth between Blaine and Rachel.

"You're in," Blaine told him with a smile. "If my cousin didn't scare you off, that is."

"No, he's actually been great."

"You behaved?" Rachel asked with a laugh as she looked up at her boyfriend.

"Contrary to popular belief, I do know how to do that," Jesse retorted. "I'm hurt, Rach."

In response, Rachel simply rolled her eyes and then took Jesse's hand as she began to lead him towards the auditorium, Blaine and Fabian not far behind them.

"Come on, you can come back in with us and then ask my mom your questions. Then you can get back to work," she told him.

* * *

"Just who I was looking for," Shelby said with a smile as she saw Jesse enter the auditorium with Rachel, Blaine, and Fabian.

"Whatever happened, I didn't do it," Jesse immediately replied, eliciting laughter from Shelby, Jack, and the rest of the team.

Like her daughter had done just moments before, Shelby rolled her eyes at her former student before she spoke again.

"I was actually hoping you would be willing to do us a favor and accompany us on some songs this afternoon. Jack and I want to work in small groups and be able to move around as needed."

"Sure. Can I still ask my questions, though?"

"Yes. You may still ask your questions."

Reluctantly letting go of Rachel's hand, Jesse approached the stage and asked Shelby his questions before taking a seat at the piano. After playing a couple of warm-up songs, he turned to his former coach.

"Ready when you are," he told her.

"Rachel, Santana, Tasha, Tatiana, and Holly, I want you over here with me. Blaine, Kurt, Dmitry, Noah, and Fabian, I want you to go with Jack. The rest of you, I want you to start thinking about songs you'd like to perform this year while you entertain yourselves quietly. I will call you up in groups and then we'll get together as a group before we leave."

Once everyone had done as she commanded, Shelby gave Jesse and each of the girls a copy of the music for the song she wanted to work on before beginning to tell them her thoughts on it and what she wanted to do with it.

* * *

After rehearsal, Fabian was making his way to his car when he heard someone call his name. Turning, he saw Rachel walking towards him.

"Did I forget something?" he asked.

"I don't think so," she answered as she got closer. "A bunch of us are going to  _Prime Thyme_  after rehearsal and I wanted to see if you'd like to come with us."

"Who's a bunch of us?"

"Well, myself and Jesse, of course. Holly, Tasha, Tatiana, Dmitry, Santana, Noah, Dmitry, and then Aiden, Alec, Dominic, and Melina will be meeting us there. I think Santana said Rosa and Ava might be there, too. We're kind of a big group, sorry."

"It's okay…and I'd love to join you."

"Great!" Rachel exclaimed with a wide smile. "Do you know how to get there?"

"I think so."

"Here, I'll give you my number and then if you get lost, you can call me. Okay?"

"Sure," Fabian agreed, quickly inputting the number.

"I'll see you there!" Rachel told him excitedly before rushing off in the direction of her boyfriend and cousin.

With a chuckle and shake of his head, Fabian continued the short walk to his car, quickly sending a text to his mother to let her know he'd be home late. It seemed like he already had more friends than he knew what to do with, which was certainly a change from his last school, and something he definitely wasn't going to complain about.

* * *

**Translation:**

_hermosa novia = beautiful girlfriend_

_Escucha el ritmo de tu corazon = listen to the rhythm of your heart_


End file.
